Ten Years Later

Kurt fumbled for his phone as it rang obnoxiously loud on his bedside table, vibrating against the wood. He glanced at the glowing green numbers on his alarm clock. 2:30 am. Who the hell was calling at this time? The number was unknown. Kurt sat up, swinging his legs out of bed, careful not to disturb the sleeping body beside him. He padded into the hallway and answered the phone just before it went to voice mail.

"Hello."

"Hi, uh, is this Kurt?" An unfamiliar male voice replied on the other end of the line.

"It is. May I ask who's calling?"

"Oh right," the voice sounded flustered. "Look, the thing is – you don't know me but I'm friends with Blaine and he wouldn't want me to call you, but he needs to see you."

Kurt's sleep deprived brain struggled to comprehend this tirade of information. He picked up on the most important word.

"Blaine?"

"Yes, he uh – he's too proud to call you himself, but he wants to see you."

"In case you haven't realized," Kurt said rather harshly to still anonymous other party, "It is the middle of the night. I haven't spoken to Blaine in years. I don't know how you got this number, but I'm sure if Blaine wants to call me he will do it himself. Goodnight."

"No! No wait – please don't hang up. Blaine's in the hospital. He's in a bad way. I don't think he is going to make it much longer. I know that you two haven't spoken in a while, and Blaine won't admit it, but he really wants to see you one last time."

Kurt felt tears prick his eyes as soon as the mysterious man mentioned to word hospital. Kurt knew it would happen eventually and even though he hadn't been in contact with Blaine for a long time he still felt for the older boy. His first boyfriend, his first true love.

"What's your name?" Kurt asked.

"Eric Peters."

"Okay Eric, I'll come and see Blaine. Where is he?"

"The Grace Memorial hospital in Seattle."

"I'll come as soon as I can."

"Thank you."

Kurt hung up the phone and went back into his bedroom. Placing the phone gently on the table Kurt sat on the bed. Head in hands he allowed himself to think about Blaine, properly think about him, for the first time in what seemed like forever.

At the end of senior year Kurt and Blaine had parted ways. Kurt moved to New York and Blaine moved, God only knows where – well Kurt guessed it must have been Seattle. After Blaine left Kurt had broken down. All he could remember of those few months after the break-up was that he had cried. A lot.

At first Kurt couldn't see the reasoning behind Blaine's decision. He still wanted to be with him. He didn't care if Blaine was sick. He was the most amazing person in the world and Kurt would take whatever he could out of his relationship with the older boy. Now, after years to contemplate the decision Kurt could see that the most amazing thing Blaine had ever done for him was let him go.

Kurt was a successful fashion magazine editor and had done a few stints on Broadway, which is where he met James. The second most amazing person in the world.

Kurt twisted the slim wedding band around his finger as he examined his sleeping husband. The very husband that had encouraged him to keep in contact with Blaine, and they had talked a few times over the years. But these times were few and far between. Obviously just enough for Blaine to still have Kurt's current phone number.

Kurt wondered is that Eric guy was more significant to Blaine than a friend. He sighed and placed a hand on James' sleep warm flesh.

James stirred. "Kurt, whaz goin' on?" he mumbled.

"I just got a phone call," Kurt replied, laying down beside him.

"And you felt it was appropriate to wake me at," he glanced at the clock, "three in the morning to tell me? Good for you honey, a phone call even later that the ones you usually get. Who was it – if it was that intern of yours again I'm gonna kill him."

James began to doze off again, not waiting for an answer.

"It was Blaine."

That woke him up.

"Blaine?" James repeated, sitting up and giving full attention to his husband.

"Well, not Blaine. A friend of his. He said Blaine was in hospital. He wants me to come to Seattle to see him."

"Is he – "

James didn't finish the sentence, but Kurt knew where he was heading.

"Yeah, he's in a bad way. I think I should go. But only if you're okay with it."

"Of course –"

"No, just wait before you agree. I know you've been supportive in the past, but that was for chats over the phone and the odd email. This is me flying across the country to be with my sick and quite possibly dying ex-boyfriend."

"You need to do this Kurt."

"That's all I needed to hear."

Kurt pressed his lips to James'. Soft and sensual, it didn't lead anywhere but it was nice. Another luxury Blaine had pushed Kurt toward, the ability to touch his partner whenever he wanted. But that was just making Kurt think about Blaine kissing him and that wasn't good. Kurt pulled away.

"I'll leave tomorrow. Do you want to come?"

"As much as I'd like to go with you to meet your quite possibly dying first love of your life, I have work. And like I said before, I think this is something you need to do Kurt. By yourself."

XxXx

So Kurt was on an early morning plane to Seattle. Singe suitcase in the cargo hold and fashionable carry-on luggage in the overhead, phone glued to his ear talking his new intern Steve through what not to do while he was gone.

XxXx

The cab ride to the hospital seemed long, but it was really only five minutes from Kurt's hotel. It must have just been the last ten years catching up with him in that short space of time. Kurt felt like he was seventeen years old again, saying goodbye to Blaine in the flesh for the last time.

XxXx

Eric spotted Kurt at once from Blaine's many descriptions over the years.

"Kurt."

Kurt turned around at the sound of his name being called. Looking, puzzled, in Eric's direction. Eric called his name again and Kurt managed to match the sound of his name being called to the tall redhead man across the waiting room.

Kurt walked toward him, maneuvering through the crowded room. "Eric I assume."

"Yeah, nice to finally meet you." He held his hand out for the fashionable man to shake. "Blaine's upstairs. I told him you were coming but he didn't believe me. He's a little out of it."

Kurt nodded as he followed Eric to the elevators.

"Just – prepare yourself. He doesn't look the same as he used to. But he's still the same guy underneath."

"Okay," Kurt replied noncommittally.

XxXx

Eric opened the door for Kurt allowing him to walk through before shutting it softly behind them. Eric walked over to the bed.

"Blaine, wake up. Kurt's here. I told you he would come."

Kurt walked closer to the bed as Blaine stirred. Kurt let out a soft gasp as he laid eyes on Blaine for the first time in ten years.

The man half sitting, half laying in the white hospital bed was almost unrecognisable. The unflattering hospital gown did nothing to disguise the fact that Blaine was skin and bones. He had lost so much weight he looked like a walking, well sitting, skeleton. He had cropped his curly locks close and a medium beard adorned his face. His skin was deathly pale, eyes sunken with bruise like shadows etched permanently beneath them.

"Hi Blaine."

Eric moved away from the bed allowing Kurt to take his place beside Blaine. Kurt grabbed Blaine's cold hand and stroked small circles onto the palm with his thumb.

"Kurt, hi."