Hi ya'll! This chapter is again kind of a set up chapter. Not sure how I feel about it, but it kind of took over and wrote itself before I knew what was happening. Hope you like it, though, and good things to come, I promise.

So, tomorrow…Glee!

And nope, Glee is not mine.

Chapter 14

Blaine stared at Kurt apprehensively, trying to maintain normal breathing and not hyperventilating. He nearly jumped out of his skin when his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and stared at it unseeingly for a moment before finally making himself focus to see who it was.

"Oh, shit! David! I was supposed to text him when I got here and I totally forgot," Blaine groaned. He quickly opened the text to see what David had to say.

I sincerely hope that you are making out with Kurt and therefore distracted instead of dead on the side of the road somewhere… -D

Blaine let go of Kurt's hand to text back a reply.

I am sooooo sorry. I didn't mean to forget to text you. –B

So I take it you were making out then? –D

Blaine's cheeks were red as he answered back.

Maybe just a little. –B

Completely reasonable then. You are forgiven. –D

I hope Kurt's dad and stepbrother are as forgiving as you are. –B

Does that mean what I think it does? –D

'Fraid so. Stepbrother walked in on us kissing. –B

With or without tongue? –D

With. Lots of it. –B

It's been real nice knowing you. I will have the Warblers perform at your funeral. What flowers do you want? –D

I won't be around to care, but I suppose roses are fine. You, Wes, Jeff and Nick split my stuff up amongst yourselves. –B

Will do. Worth it? –D

Absolutely. Without a doubt. –B

That's my boy. –D

When Blaine was finished, he put his phone back in his pocket and looked at Kurt, who had been waiting for him. He took a deep breath and blew it out, then held his hand out to Kurt. "Shall we?"

Kurt smiled weakly at Blaine and took his hand. "Let's go get this over with." They two boys nervously made their way down the stairs. They walked into the kitchen just as Carol walked in, arms full of grocery bags. "Kurt, we've got- oh, hello there. Who's this?"

Kurt stood up a little straighter. "Carol, I'd like for you to meet Blaine. Blaine, this amazing lady is my stepmother, Carol."

Carol quickly put her bags on the counter and extended her hand with a wide smile. "Blaine, I'm so pleased to meet you."

Blaine took her hand in his and shook it, offering her a charming smile. "The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Hummel."

Kurt looked at Carol with an almost pleading look on his face. "I asked Blaine to come over to talk to me while I thought about private schools."

Carol nodded understandingly. She was about to say something when the door opened to admit Finn and Burt, both loaded down with grocery bags. Burt looked at the unfamiliar face in his house and frowned slightly, making Blaine's stomach do flip flops. Burt looked pointedly at Kurt and Blaine's intertwined hands and cleared his throat.

"Dad, this is Blaine. Blaine, this is my dad," Kurt said nervously as Burt crossed the kitchen towards them.

Blaine let go of Kurt's hand to step forward to greet Burt. He held out his hand and was relieved when Burt took it without hesitation and shook it.

Burt inclined his head. "Blaine. Nice to meet you."

Blaine gave what he hoped was a confident smile and said, "Nice meeting you as well, sir."

Burt gave a little cough as he looked meaningfully at Kurt, who was looking back at his father with wide eyes, slightly pale. "I didn't know you were planning on having anyone over today, Kurt."

Kurt squirmed a little as he said, "I know. I wanted someone to talk to about…things. I didn't think to ask if it was okay. I'm sorry."

Burt nodded his head. "I would definitely appreciate knowing who is going to be in my house when I'm not here, Kurt. I have never had trust issues with you before. I don't want to start having them now."

Kurt nodded his head at his father then turned a furious look on Finn, who had snorted. Burt raised an eyebrow. "Am I missing something here?"

Finn looked nervously at Kurt, who was giving him a lethal stare through narrowed eyes. Then he pressed ahead. "I don't think it's fair that Kurt gets to be in his room with his boyfriend and the door be closed when I don't get to have girls in my room that way."

Kurt and Blaine both flinched, Kurt mentally planning Finn's demise, Blaine mentally accepting his own demise. Burt took his hat off and rubbed his head. Maybe he should have gone ahead and given Kurt the dating talk before addressing the school issue. Heaving a long suffering sigh, he gestured at the table. "Why don't you boys sit down. All three of you," he said, motioning to Finn who looked as though he had decided his work was done and he was no longer needed. The three boys slowly sat at the table, two nervously and one slightly mystified. Carol sat down next to Burt and he took her hand to give it a grateful squeeze. He knew he probably needed her wisdom and support for this.

Burt took a fortifying breath and looked at the boys gathered at his table. At his son, his pride and joy, the biggest accomplishment of his life. At his stepson, who he wanted to be there for as a positive role model and father figure. And at the boy that he didn't yet know but who looked at his son as though he were quite possibly the most precious thing in the world. Burt sent a quick prayer heavenward that he would handle this in the best manner and pressed forward.

"Boys. You are all of an age that this is the time where you start learning life lessons that will shape you and follow you into your futures. Lessons like respect, responsibility, maturity, and consideration of others. Kurt. I know that you understand now that I want to know when you plan to have anyone here, especially when your stepmother or I are not here. I am going on record right now as saying that if you intend on being in your room with your boyfriend, I want the door open. I don't expect it wide open necessarily, but I do want it open an acceptable width. This is not an unreasonable expectation of my teenager. And Finn, the same rules will apply to you. You are both old enough that you know what Carol and I expect of you and what we will allow. We are making the decision here to trust you and trust that you will respect our rules while you are under our roof. Know right now that the first violation will result in loss of all privileges. And you will find out very quickly how serious the loss of our trust is. I don't anticipate having any further discussion about this. Do I make myself understood?" He looked at Kurt and Finn as they both nodded their heads. Burt turned to Carol. "Do you have anything you want to add?"

Carol said, "I think you covered everything. I agree with everything said here, boys. We were teenagers once, we know what it's like to want some privacy with that special someone. I don't believe we need to go into detail about what is and isn't acceptable." She huffed slightly and gave the boys a small smile. "It's hard to tell you to keep your hands off of your sweetheart when you're here, knowing that there are other places you can go to do whatever. We want you comfortable here, but maybe not that comfortable. Am I making sense?" All three boys nodded, looking embarrassed. Carol continued, "In any case, Burt and I knew this day would be coming sooner rather than later, believe it or not, and we have discussed this already. We are prepared to face the fact that our sons are growing up. Now, show us you can handle this. Do us proud and prove to us our faith is not ill placed. Now, Kurt, is Blaine staying for dinner, or do you have other plans?"

That brought Burt's attention back to Blaine, much to his discomfiture. Kurt put his hand on Blaine's arm in a gesture that was both protective and comforting. Kurt asked Blaine, "Would you like to stay for dinner? Or do you need to get back to Dalton?"

Carol's face lit up. "Dalton? You go to Dalton Academy then?"

"Y-yes ma'am," Blaine said. "I transferred there last year."

Burt looked closely at Kurt, then at Blaine. "You did, huh?"

Blaine heard the question that Burt had not vocalized. "Yes sir. I transferred there after being bullied at my old school. For being gay."

Burt nodded. "Dalton is one of the schools that we were looking at for Kurt to go to. I imagine he probably has told you all about that."

Blaine looked at Kurt for a moment, then back to Burt. "Yes sir, he did."

Burt grunted softly. "So, do you like it there? Would you say it's a good school and that you feel safe going there?"

Blaine relaxed slightly and allowed himself a small smile. "Yes, sir. The no bullying policy is very strict, but the thing is that none of the students really seems to want to test it. I've never had anyone say or do anything out of line, and I am not the only student who is out. I don't think anyone has had any problems. The academic program is one of the top ones in the state. The facility is great and the dorms are really nice."

Burt nodded again. "I see. And did Kurt tell you that Carol and I rather liked Dalton of the three we looked into?"

Blaine swallowed nervously and nodded his head. "Yes sir. He did mention that."

Burt turned to Kurt. "Am I to assume, then, that you've made your choice of which school you want to go to?"

Before Kurt could answer, Finn finally understood what was being said and jumped up in shock, his chair hitting the floor. "WHAT! What are you talking about, private school? Kurt? What's he saying?"

Burt calmly answered, "Sit down, Finn. We have made the decision to send Kurt to a private school where he won't be bullied and will be safe. McKinley and the school board have shown that they are unwilling to take the proper steps to insure Kurt's safety. I am not willing to take the chance that this Karofsky kid will do something worse next time. So Kurt will be withdrawing from McKinley and transferring."

Finn turned to Kurt, confusion and hurt on his face. "But Kurt! Dude! What about New Directions? We need you!"

Burt answered before Kurt could say anything. "Kurt's safety comes before the glee club, Finn. Even New Directions couldn't keep Kurt from being attacked. And from I understand, Will Schuester is the only teacher who made any sort of attempt at intervention. I'm sorry, but the decision has already been made. We are just waiting on the decision from Kurt on where he wants to go."

Finn was still emotionally reacting. "But why, Kurt? Is it because the way we used to be? Is it because of the things I said or did, like calling those things faggy? Because I'm sorry, I said I'm sorry! Or is it because you don't think you get a fair shot to sing in Glee? Because you're probably right but I don't know what I can do about it. We can look out for you, Kurt! Me and Puck and Sam will take turns, I promise we will. We'll beat the shit out of Karofsky if you want us to. Why do you want to leave us?"

Kurt had been sitting pale and quiet all this time. His hand was still on Blaine's arm and Blaine had covered Kurt's hand with his own. Kurt tried to speak and found he couldn't. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Finn. Please try to understand that I am not doing this to punish you or anyone in New Directions. We are brothers now. We both know there's a lot between us in the past. You tossing me in dumpsters, my ridiculous crush on you, all the crazy issues. But our past is what made us what we are today. Nothing will change that. Whether I am at McKinley or Dalton, you are my brother. I trust you. But I can't do it anymore, Finn. I can't keep constantly watching over my shoulder. I can't keep living in fear, worried about what will happen next. I can't keep carrying two changes of clothes every day because I keep getting slushied. I have to do this for me. Please try to understand that."

Kurt had tears running down his cheeks and Finn was rubbing his own eyes. The emotion in the room was so high it was practically alive. Carol broke the heavy silence by standing up and wiping her own eyes. "We love you both so much and want what's best. This is the way it has to be, son." She put her arms around Finn and held him for a moment. Then she stepped back. "I have groceries that I still need to put away. Why don't we just order pizza tonight? Finn, do you want to have Puck over?"

Finn nodded glumly and excused himself to go to his room and call Puck. Burt rubbed his hand tiredly over his face and looked at his emotional son who was still holding the hand of the dark haired boy that had been sitting in mostly silent support. He stood and put a hand gently on the shoulder of a startled Blaine. "I promise we aren't like this all the time, Blaine. This happens to be an emotional time for all of us. I hope this doesn't mean you won't be comfortable being here. If it means anything, I am glad you're here for my boy right now. And it makes me feel a little better that he will have you when he goes to this school." With that, Burt went into the living room to find some sort of sporting event to try to lose himself in.

Kurt and Blaine sat at the table for another moment in silence. Kurt wiped his eyes with his free hand and turned to Blaine. "Well. That was not what I expected for the first time you met my family," he said with a weak smile.

Tension broken, Blaine laughed. "To be honest, when we came down I fully expected to end up maimed or in a body bag. Your parents seem really supportive and pretty open minded. That's really pretty cool."

Kurt blew out a breath. "Yeah. I'm pretty lucky. My dad has always supported me, especially when I came out to him. And I know that it has to be a huge sacrifice for him and Carol both to send me to a private school."

Blaine nodded solemnly. "I am glad they are though. For so many reasons."

Kurt squeezed the hand that he had been holding like a lifeline for so long now. "Me too. So, do you feel like taking advantage of the semi-privacy of my room until pizza gets here?"

Blaine stood with Kurt and they walked upstairs hand in hand. They went into Kurt's bedroom and Kurt pushed the door partially closed, careful to keep it open to what he felt his father would consider "acceptable." Kurt then turned and looked at Blaine, who was sitting on his bed and looking thoughtful. Kurt sat next to him and put a hand on his knee to get his attention. "Blaine, is something wrong?"

Blaine looked at Kurt a little bashfully. "I was wondering…"

Kurt waited as Blaine paused and prompted him, "Wondering what?"

Blaine looked down at his hands. "Both your dad and Finn referred to me as your boyfriend today."

Kurt nodded slowly. "I guess they did," he said cautiously, unsure of what Blaine was trying to say, whether that was good or bad.

Blaine looked at Kurt again, a smile starting to form on his face. "Is that what I am?"

Kurt licked his lips a bit nervously and answered, "Well, I suppose that depends on whether or not you want to be."

Blaine held his breath a second before asking, "Well, do you want me to be?"

Kurt pretended to think about it for a minute, which nearly put Blaine into cardiac arrest. Then he smiled what Blaine thought was one of the most beautiful smiles he had ever seen and said, "Yeah. I think I do." He then giggled and said, "Anyone who can take my family at their worst and not run screaming deserves the title."

Blaine felt his heart swelling to the point he thought it might burst. He had no idea what he had done to deserve to be so ridiculously happy, but whatever it was, he was grateful. Unable to resist Kurt's smiling lips, Blaine leaned in to capture Kurt's lips with his own in a sweet kiss, their first as official boyfriends. This kiss was not the chaste kiss of their first date, nor was it the hungry kisses of earlier. It was the kiss of two lonely souls who had finally found each other.

I finally found you, my missing puzzle piece.

So yeah.

Coming up: packing, transferring, and a whole new world

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