This is Me

Disclaimer: Don't own Glee, never will. Kora is the only one who is mine.

A/N: Enjoy Review or PM me if you wish. Have to turn this into a two part chapter, and I will try to post it before I leave tomorrow, because I won't have access to the computer for a week. I am not happy about it. I do have a 12 hour car ride, so I will be writing, and will post what I have as soon as I return. I hope that everyone has a nice Easter and Spring Break. -Medieval Wizard

Chapter Ten: Winter Break Escapades Part One

What does one do with their winter break, do you ask? Well if you asking about one Kora Rose, Kurt Hummel, and Blaine Anderson, I will tell you. It had started months prior to the actual vacation, but that's beside the point; you don't need to be bored with the endless details, but I will say this. I arranged everything through the proper channels of authority, and let me tell you, tracking down Blaine's family isn't easy.

Anyway, let's get to the good part. It was Christmas morning, and we were all gathered in the Hummel-Hudson house. Blaine was there too. I was beginning to think that he was an even more permanent fixture in that house than I. Dad and I had all ready exchanged gifts, but I still had three gifts that needed to be handed out. Once Burt came and settled on the couch I was ready. I put down my hot chocolate, gathered the presents into my lap and smiled.

"You will probably want to flay me for this, Kurt and Blaine, because I haven't given you proper warning for this, but trust me. I think it will be worth it. You also have no idea how freaking difficult it was keeping this a secret from the both of you. Merry Christmas! I walked slowly around the room handing each man assembled their present. Burt winked at me when I handed him his. He all ready knew what was in it, so we both sat back to watch the boys open their gifts.

Kurt carefully unwrapped his gift, but paper came flying off in shreds from Blaine's; somehow I just knew the ex-Warbler was not one to be patient with gift-wrap. Since I lack the coordination to wrap gifts I was just going to do bags, but Carol insisted on wrapping them for me.

Kurt had his box open and let out a squeal. "Oh my God, Kora! Are you serious?" he jumped up and squeezed me tight. He was followed a second later by Blaine.

"Plane tickets, Broadway, and the other things I got too excited to read?" he asked. I was pulled to my feet. I must admit, getting hugged while still sitting is quite awkward. Burt seemed to be enjoying himself as well. The boys were being quite entertaining in their excitement.

I now honestly couldn't breathe. "A little air guys?" I asked. They stepped back. "Yes. The four of us will be flying out at the crack of dawn tomorrow. We'll get to New York, check in have some dinner, see Rockefeller Center and crash. Then Wicked and the Lion King, shopping, sightseeing, and rinse and repeat until we ring in the New Year in Times Square and come home the next day dead tired with just enough time to rest before going back to school; where we will have bragging rights for the next six months at least!"

I was again assaulted by hugs. I was probably going to be pretty broke for the next decade, but the looks on Kurt and Blaine's faces made every cent I had spent on this trip so worth it. All those extra hours spent tutoring and saving every penny had paid off triple in that moment; it felt pretty damn good.

Kurt and Blaine both looked momentarily frantic. "I have got to pack!" I felt bad telling them at the last minute, but it was really the only way to keep the surprise a surprise.

"There goes Christmas dinner, sorry, Burt!" I snorted as both boys vanished. We wouldn't be seeing them again for a very long time, I was certain of it.

"It's okay, Kora. I think you just won the best friend in the Universe with those presents. I'm packed, and I bet you are too. Do you want to go help Kurt or watch the game with us guys?"

I laughed, that was a hard choice really. "In the interest of not suffering broken bones, I will come watch the game. I am sure Kurt will come and get me if he needs my help. So who's playing?" So that's how I spent my Christmas day. Watching sports, eating far too much junk, and catching the occasional glimpse of Kurt as he dashed up and down the stairs hurriedly preparing for our trip. The next day the real fun would begin!

New York

I wanted to do more than just shuffle into the hotel room, but after nearly five hours on a plane that was the best I could manage until my legs quit cramping. Burt approved of the two room sweet I had booked. He would have his own space, but would be close by if there was a need, and he hoped that I would be a deterrent for any inappropriate behavior that may occur. Kurt and Blaine had far too much energy, but that was to be expected. It was New York, after all. I was giddy as well, but my body was not allowing for that to show. Once we were free of our bags it was nearly impossible to keep the boys in check, so I kept a hold of each of their arms as we hit the streets of Manhattan.

After a fantastic dinner we headed off for some ice skating. Well, Burt, Kurt, and Blaine did the skating and I sat and watched. They had begged and pleaded with me to get on the ice, but I declined; nobody wanted to see that, and I was happy not causing anyone any bodily harm. I was happy just taking pictures of their exploits.

I smiled as Kurt slid to a stop in front of the barrier. "Are you sure you don't want to give it a try. I think between the three of us we can keep you on your feet!" Burt and Blaine came to a stop beside him.

I stood up and leaned against the barrier. I shook my head. "Thanks for the offer, Kurt, but I rather not. I can barely keep on my feet on a flat surface, so I don't think adding skinny metal blades impeding my balance farther would be a good idea. Have fun; I don't mind watching."

"If you're sure, Kora," Blaine said expertly skating in a circle. "It's really fun."

I nodded. "I'm sure. There are plenty of other things that I will get to do while we are here, so don't worry about it, okay?" I figured that I could take the time to check up on my dad, since I hadn't gotten a chance to call him. I placed the call. He was happy to hear that we arrived safely, hoped I had a good time, but he was going to a game with Finn, so he had to go. At least I knew that he would be keeping busy while I was gone, and that was a good thing.

I walked back to the bench and they skated away. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out of my pocket and looked at the text message I had received. Oh great, it was from Rachel.

-Kora, Are Kurt and Blaine with you? Neither of them are answering their phones.-

I chuckled. Kurt had forgotten to tell Rachel we were leaving town. Which was probably a good thing, because Rachel would never have let me hear the end of it. I didn't feel guilty in the least, because Rachel and I weren't friends.

-Yes, Rachel, they are with me, but they are ice skating at the moment.-

I was being intentionally vague, and it was actually really amusing. I wondered if I should continue to torture her or not.

-Where's the ice rink. I could meet you. I haven't been in years, and we need to start thinking about Regionals.-

-I know, but I don't think you can meet us. We aren't in Lima, or even Ohio. Rachel.-

I saw Kurt nearby and waved him over. "Changed your mind, Kora?"

"Not exactly, Kurt. I'm currently texting Rachel. You neglected to tell her where we were going."

Kurt grinned. "I did, didn't I? Can I borrow your phone?" I handed it to him, and watched as he dialed Rachel's number. "Rachel, it's Kurt. Yes, we're ice skating. It's part of Kora's present for Blaine and me. Tomorrow, we may just have breakfast at Tiffany's again, before we go see Wicked!"

I could hear Rachel scream "You're in New York!" from where I stood.

"Yes, currently at Rockefeller Center. We'll see you when we get back. Have a good break." I watched as his eyes glinted in anticipation for Rachel's answer.

"Without me! No fair, Kurt."

Kurt chuckled. "I had nothing to do with this Rachel, but I will be enjoying it. See you later." He hung up and handed the phone back to me. "Well that was fun. She's going to be fuming. Just ignore her. We'll leave soon. You look frozen."

"I'm f-f-fine," I said . Well, I had been until he reminded me apparently. "Enjoy yourself-f-f."

"Dad, Blaine, let's get going before Kora freezes solid!"

Burt and Blaine came over. They all stepped off of the rink and quickly changed into their shoes. I was then pulled inside the nearest building and handed a mug of hot chocolate.

"Thank you. I was fine until you said something, Kurt. Do you think Rachel will be mad when we get back to Ohio?"

Blaine snickered. "Probably, but she'll get over it. I bet she's regretting making an enemy out of you right about now."

I shrugged. "Rachel and I aren't enemies, Blaine, we're just not friends, and I only treat friends to these kind of trips. There is a reason why I kept it a secret. I didn't want her sucking up to me in the hopes of being included."

Kurt nodded vigorously."Which she would have undoubtably done," Kurt said. "Rachel thinks she deserves New York more than any other person on the planet."

I nodded. "I doubt that's mutually exclusive, Kurt. I think she has decided she deserves EVERYTHING more than any person on the planet!"

Burt and Blaine chuckled. I finished my cocoa, and we walked back into the frigid New York evening. I was exhausted, but so happy that we were there. But I think everyone was as ready as I was for bed, even though we didn't want to miss a moment that we had in New York. We caught a cab back to the hotel, and headed back upstairs to our rooms.

We stood in the hall before wishing everyone else good night, and Blaine and Kurt disappeared into the hotel room and Burt pulled me aside. "Kora, just so you know. I'm not expecting you to police them. You'll be in the room, so that should be enough. Just make sure that they aren't suction cupped to one another. That way they can at least get some sleep and enjoy the vacation."

"Will do, Burt. Have a good night. I have a wakeup call for seven, but I may hate myself in the morning. Do you trust us for a few hours in the City by ourselves?"

"I do, but why do you ask?" He eyed my suspiciously.

"My Uncle,Curtis, lives in Manhattan. He sent this for you, if you want to use it. I figured you might want to miss out on at least one day of shopping. He's a big hockey fan, and had spare ticket. He assures me you'll be done for Wicked, since it's an early game." I handed him the envelop that I pulled from my purse. "You don't have to go, but I thought it would be nice for you to get out and have some fun in New York as well."

Burt grinned and ruffled my hair. "You are something else, Kora. You really are. I think I just might give your uncle a call in a few minutes. You'll stay close to the hotel, right?"

"If that's what you want, Burt, we can abide by it. There are plenty of shops close by. I picked this place for a reason. And we'll all have our phones."

Burt nodded. "Get some sleep, Kora, and we can finalize plans in the morning. We will at least be having breakfast together."

I pulled out my card key, and he walked to the door next door. I nearly banged the door into Kurt as he hastily got to his feet from listening at the crack. "I would have filled you in. You needn't have gone to the trouble." I shut the door and dropped onto one of the beds.

"Are you a schemer, or was that luck?" Kurt asked. He sat down next to me on the bed. Blaine was all ready passed out and snoring in the bed by the window.

"Luck," I admitted. "I happened to answer the phone, told my uncle about the trip, and he asked me if I knew anyone who liked sports. He sent the letter and ticket the next day. Worked out well though."

"Indeed it did. If Blaine asks you planned it, though he might be jealous there isn't a ticket for him." Kurt said with a smile.

I grimaced, got off the bed, and knelt beside my suitcase. "If Blaine wants to turn down uninterrupted shopping in New York for hockey I am taking away his gay card. The Rangers aren't THAT good." I quickly changed into my pajamas.

"I'll take your word for it, you actually know the name." Kurt followed my lead and once we had both finished our routines we sat across from each other on the bed.

"You can sleep in the bed with Blaine if you want, Kurt. I'll plead the fifth if your dad asks."

"That's sweet, Kora, but I'll bunk with you tonight, because Blaine has somehow managed to monopolize the majority of the bed, and I'd rather not wake him."

I looked over and Blaine was in fact horizontal across the length of the double bed. "Yeah, you're right. That would require far too much effort at the moment. Way more effort than I care to expend at the moment. I was actually afraid that you weren't going to like you present."

Kurt raised an eyebrow. "Now you're just being absurd, Kora. Why would you even think something like that?"

I shrugged and scooted over to lean against the headboard. "It's extravagant, and I thought you might think I was pandering, but I had been wanting to do something like this for a while now. You and Blaine just happened to be the first friends I felt worthy of such a splurge."

"Well, I can tell you that we are both very honored and glad that you decided to take us. I don't think I'll ever be able to repay such a kindness."

I pushed him. No repayment needed Kurt. I'm thrilled that we are all here together. You have succeeded in making my Senior year not suck even though a lot of stuff has gone down, and in less than a year, you and I will never have to leave this place. I thought it would be fun to visit one last time as part of the tourist set."

Kurt kissed my cheek. "I am very glad you did, and tomorrow we hit the city!" I switched off the light, and we both fell asleep almost instantly. It had been a long, very fun, but exhausting day, and it would continue tomorrow as well.

Normally when dealing with jet lag I would sleep in the next day, but Kurt and my feet hit the floor at the exact same moment. We stared at each other for a minute before bursting into a fit of giggles, and I waved him toward the bathroom. "You go first. I need to write something down before I forget."

"Thank you." Kurt grabbed his chosen outfit and hurried to the bathroom. I grabbed my notebook and pen and crawled back under the covers to write.

Blaine was slower to rise, and I heard him shifting on the bed before a rather loud thump and a groan. "I meant to do that," he said groggily. He picked himself up off of the floor, and came and sat next to me on the bed.

I set down my notebook and turned to him. "Sure you meant to fall out of bed, Blaine. It's all part of your master showmanship skills. Sleep well?"

He nodded. "Surprisingly so. Considering I wasn't even sleeping in the right direction."

I laughed. "Yeah, sorry about that. Kurt and I contemplated waking you up, but we were too tired. I'm impressed that you managed to stay that way the whole night."

Blaine ran his hand through his hair that was now a mass of unruly curls. "Me too honestly. I don't even remember falling asleep. Kurt slept with you didn't he?"

I snorted. "Only because you didn't leave him much room. Fall asleep the correct way tonight and you will awaken neither alone nor on the hotel floor."

Blaine sighed. "Dually noted, so what's on the agenda for today, Miss Director?"

"I prefer the title Altruistic Financier, but oh well. Breakfast and then shopping. With or without Burt; yet to be determined. TBA, but them Wicked at eight."

Kurt chuckled as he came out of the bathroom. "You should use that title more often, Kora. Bathroom's all yours. What was that loud bump I heard?"

"Blaine fell out of bed 'intentionally'" I said grabbing my things and heading for the bathroom. Blaine scowled. "He who wakes last endures a cold shower."

I giggled, ran into the bathroom, and attempted to leave Blaine some tepid water at least. I found it hard to dress as fashionably as I would have preferred during the winter, but I did the best I could with nylons. leggings, a skirt, turtleneck, cable knit sweater, wool coat, and a scarf all in varied hues of blue, green, and purple. My earmuffs and overcoat were sitting on the dresser waiting to be put on as well. Make up wasn't a consideration today due to the fact that trying on clothes was bound to happen, but I did decide on lipgloss; that was a must on any day.

"Cold much, Kora?" Blaine asked with a chuckle when I came out of the bathroom.

I scowled. "And to think, I left you some hot water, Blaine. Excuse me while I go remedy that error." I turned on my heel.

"No, sorry, sorry. I just didn't think it was possible for anyone to manage more layers then Kurt."

"Blaine Anderson, get your cute, but obnoxious butt in the shower before you dig yourself in deeper." Kurt said getting up out of the chair and assisting me with making the beds.

Blaine took the hint and got himself into the bathroom. Soon after the door closed there was at knock at the door that led into the shared sitting room.

Kurt was closest so he opened it to admit his father. "Good morning, Dad. I hope you slept well."

I laughed. "Considering we were up later than Blaine, you are far too chipper this morning. Good Morning, Burt."

Burt sat on the bed. "My thoughts exactly, Kora. So you three are in luck. You will be having the morning to yourselves, but let's go eat before we go our separate ways. Blaine in the shower? Oh, and I'll call when the game is done so we can meet up."

"Blaine just got in the shower, but I didn't leave him much hot water, so I doubt he'll be long. Taming his curls, however; there is no knowing." I grinned. Everyone knew it was true. I just hoped the idea of being in New York outweighed perfection for once, but knowing Blaine that was wishful thinking. He was nearly as bad as Kurt all things considered!