So here is the new chapter. Hope you like it. A LOT is gonna go down. Enjoy and REVIEW!

Quick message to Wanna Be Startin Something because I can't seem to private message you, maybe my computers being weird :/ thank you so much for your comment it was really sweet! also i see you are a spring awakening fan (like me, hello fellow guilty one) and british (like me, hello fellow inhabitant of this small cold island) and anyways thank you for reviewing and saying i'm talented, your story is on my list to read later when i get a chance :)

Chapter Seven

Childress, Texas

1967

Blaine knocked softly on the door, clutching the cheap bouquet of hospital roses he had just purchased. 'Come in', a voice called from inside. He opened the door and stepped inside, smiling. 'Morning', Blaine said. Santana smiled. 'Look who it is, Joe!', she cooed at the tiny boy in her arms. He walked over, kissing his son's forehead and his wife's cheek. 'Can I?', he asked, gesturing to Joe. She nodded. 'I gotta pee', Santana said, climbing out of the bed and leaving Blaine alone with Joe.

He cradled his son close, breathing in that sweet, soft baby smell. Joe's hair was soft, and his eyes suddenly opened, wide and curious. Blaine smiled. 'Hey there! I'm your daddy', he whispered, waving. Joe's tiny hand reached out and grabbed at Blaine's finger. They stayed like that, holding each other and looking into each other's eyes. Blaine marvelled at how tiny he was, and how big he would one day become. As Joe yawned and closed his eyes, Blaine rested the tiny head on his shoulder and allowed his son to doze off.

Blaine had never really thought about kids. He had never really been excited by the idea, hell, when he found out he was going to be a father he had been scared shitless. The last few months had all been a blur. About a month or so after that one night with Santana, she had turned up at his place and announced she was pregnant and keeping the baby, and Blaine was going to be there for this child, no questions asked. It was a quite a change from the easy going, flirtatious woman he had seen the last time. Santana's father, who hated Blaine with a vengeance, decided they ought to get married – it was the right, proper thing to do. It had been a shotgun wedding, not many people and no party afterwards. Then he'd moved in with Santana, in a little house paid for by her father. For that he was grateful; Blaine was enjoying a much better quality of living thanks to the Lopez's money. Santana turned out to be surprisingly easy to live with. They had sex once, on their wedding night, because she said they needed to consummate the marriage, but she hadn't made any advances after that, and that suited Blaine perfectly. In truth, he felt bad for the way he had used Santana. Now, though, holding his baby, he was pleased that they had sex. He felt a strong, paternal instinct when he held his son, when he smiled at his son. He loved Joe. And Joe would be the most important thing in his life now. Well. Second most important thing.

As he turned to look out of the window, Blaine wondered whether Jesse had any children. It would be four years this summer, since they had been together. He had begun to resign himself to the inevitable, that he would never see the man again. But then, though, as Joe cuddled further into his chest, Blaine realised. He didn't have to wait for Jesse to come to him. He could go to Jesse.

Riverton, Wyoming

1967

'Come on, one more mouthful', Rachel told Junior, who was eating lunch. She heard a truck pulling up outside and glanced out, smiling when she saw who it was. She opened the door and he came in, wearing his grocer's uniform. 'Afternoon, Rachel. Here's your groceries', he said, putting down her shopping on the counter. 'Oh Noah, I told you, you don't have to do that', Rachel said as he smiled at her, making her blush. 'It's no trouble. I got a few bags going over to Mr Figgins, he only lives around the corner', Noah explained, but Rachel knew he was lying, and she smiled back at him. 'I certainly appreciate it. How much do I owe you?', she asked reaching for her purse. 'Eight dollars forty five cents', he said, passing her a receipt. Rachel scrabbled around. 'There's five…erm hang on…here's another two…oh shoot. I still owe you a dollar and five cents', she said apologetically. Noah shook his head. 'Don't worry about it, Rachel. I can take care of it', he reassured her. 'I'll pay you back next time', she said thankfully. 'It's fine. Just forget about it', he smiled, leaving. Rachel gazed after him, her heart beating faster than normal. She knew she oughtn't to feel or even think like this about anyone other than Jesse…but Noah…she shook her head and began unpacking the groceries, banishing all thoughts of Noah Puckerman from her mind and concentrating on the soup she was preparing.

As she chopped the carrots, Rachel heard a little thud. It was the post. She walked over and picked it up, sifting through. She threw the newspapers aside to read later, groaned when she opened the bills, then paused as she came across a postcard. It had a picture of a mountain she had never seen before on the front. She flipped it over. It was for Jesse. She went into the lounge and put it on the arm of his chair for him to read later, not thinking anything of it.

LATER

'I'm home', called Jesse as he stepped inside. He leaned on the door wearily, sighing. It had been another long, hard, thankless day. Junior and Harmony ran into the kitchen. 'Daddy, Daddy!', they screamed in excitement. Despite everything, Jesse grinned at his little girls and picked them up, holding them close. 'Hi', he heard from behind him. Jesse turned around and saw Rachel waving at him, holding a spoon. She was cooking. Jesse smiled. 'Hey. Smells good', he said, nodding at the pot. 'Venison. Your favourite', she said, smiling. Jesse nodded and closed his eyes briefly, allowing the smell to fill him. It wasn't the same as it had been four years ago, but the familiar scent stirred up all the old memories. Suddenly he was back on the mountain, watching Blaine holding that deer, laughing as they skinned it and prepared the meal together, then inside the tent…Jesse shook away the memories and returned to the present.

Rachel, thankfully, hadn't noticed his reaction and was busy cooking again. He did love her, he did. He just couldn't give his heart to her, and for that Jesse felt awful. Rachel was an amazing woman and deserved much, much more. Sometimes he wished he had never married her and saved her the trouble, but every time he saw Junior and Harmony, he was eternally thankful that he had married Rachel. His daughters were everything to him. He had always wanted to be a father, and he actually turned out to be good at it. Junior was busy telling him all about the book she had read at kindergarten that day, and Harmony was playing with his curls. Jesse felt a swell of pride. He had two perfect daughters.

'Jesse, do you know someone named Blaine?', Rachel asked from the stove. Jesse's heart stopped. It couldn't be the same Blaine, it couldn't. It had to be someone else. Or what if it was Blaine, his Blaine, and Rachel knew everything? 'Um, I might. Why?', he asked cautiously, clasping his hands together to calm himself. 'There's a postcard from him, on your chair', she gestured towards the lounge and he was there in two strides. Jesse held the postcard, hand shaking. He read what it said, in clear but hasty scribble:

Jesse, this is long overdue. Heard you were in Riverton. I'll be passing through on the 24th, thought I'd stop and buy you a beer. Write back to say if you want. Really hope you can make it. Yours, Blaine.

Jesse dropped the postcard in shock. He stood, breathing raggedly for a moment and then shouted to Rachel he was going to the bathroom. He stumbled inside and collapsed onto the floor, his whole body shaking. Jesse cried as quietly as possible, feeling the tears stream down his face, his heart aching. He knew what he was going to do. What he had to do.

CLIFFHANGER! what did you guys think of that chapter? REVIEW PLEASE!

next chapter should hopefully be up on tuesday because i'm going to london for a few days. until then, may the odds be ever in your favour! (yes i am on a hunger games kick at the moment. it's awesome)