One Year Later

Kurt finishes tying Blaine's bow tie, straightens it and steps back, proudly admiring his husband. "You look amazing. This is the best anniversary present ever."

"Hardly."

"It is!" he protests, as Blaine walks past him to fuss over his hair in the mirror. "You're graduating with top class honors, Blaine. That's amazing!"

"Hmm."

"All that hard work paid off."

"It didn't though, did it? I still haven't got a job."

"Blaine, puppy." Kurt sighs, turning him back from the mirror and kissing his pout. "So you didn't get into NASA, but you know what? With grades like that, you will get amazing job offers coming your way, I just know it."

"Except for the one I wanted."

"You might still hear from them."

Blaine looks up, trying to smile at his husband's positivity, but he shakes his head instead, his eyes swimming with tears. "It's been six weeks, Kurt."

"So you take professor Scarbo up on his offer," Kurt says, trailing him out into the living room. "After vacation, we come back here and you assist him with his classes for a while. It's a paycheck, at least, and you might find it really suits you."

"I don't want to be a teacher though!" he cries hotly, and Kurt sighs inwardly, hoping this won't lead to a fight on Blaine's graduation day. "It was nice of him to offer me the job, and I'll take it because I need the money, but I wanted to be an Aerospace Engineer, Kurt. I didn't spend four years of my life studying mechanical engineering and physics to become a teaching assistant."

"I know but... nevermind. Let's go. We don't want to be late."

Blaine stops him at the door, pulling him into his arms and hugging him tight. "Thank you for having faith in me. Right now I seem to have none, and it's you that's keeping me going."

"I love you," Kurt says, and that seems to explain it all. "I have endless faith in you, in us, and in your talents. Who pushed me to apply for Kate's job when she became EIC?"

"Me."

"Exactly. And God knows you put up with me being an absolute tyrant for three weeks while I applied and got interviewed and then waited to hear."

"It was worth it in the end, Mr. Runway Editor."

"It was." Kurt smiles, and gratefully accepts the kiss Blaine offers. "We'll ride this out together, Blaine. If NASA isn't the right fit, then we'll find you the perfect job, I swear."

"Thank you."

"Anytime. Now can we please go? I really want to watch my husband graduate."

After picking up Brian, who looks as proud as punch to be invited to Blaine's graduation, and Santana, who tries and fails to lick her finger and rub Blaine's cheek twice, they arrive at the campus auditorium to meet Burt and Angie.

"Hmm. Interesting," Kurt remarks quietly to Blaine as they approach, because despite spending holidays and vacations together, neither Blaine nor Kurt are clear on what exactly is the nature of their parents relationship. They are currently staying in a nearby hotel for three nights to celebrate Blaine's graduation with him, and though both Kurt and Blaine want to know, neither dares ask a fiercely guarded Burt what the room arrangements are.

It's a surprise then, to both, to see their parents holding hands, and they don't let go when they spot Blaine and Kurt approaching, either.

"My boys!" Burt booms, and then he does let go of Angie, because he needs to sweep them both up in a giant, bone crushing hug. "Happy anniversary, happy graduation day, all of that. Happy almost vacation time."

He notices, of course, when Blaine pulls back, his eyes are downcast, but then Angie throws her arms around him, and Blaine forces a smile into place.

"Hello mom. I've missed you."

"Sweetie, I know. Ten weeks! Can you believe it? Hello Kurt, darling." She kisses Kurt's cheek, and hugs him close.

"Hey Angie. Yeah, ten weeks since we've seen you, and yet dad's visited you twice."

"Ah well, that's because...well, I needed a new car, and he said he'd help me pick one, and... um..."

"Shut it, Kurt," his dad says firmly. "Blaine, son, you okay?"

"Fine," he says, and Brian puts an arm around his shoulders.

"Why wouldn't he be? He's just earned the best grades of any engineering student ever."

"True, true," Burt laughs. "He's my son alright. Takes after me."

"He does not," Santana retorts. "He's just like his momma, aren't you baby?"

"There are so many holes in both your arguments," Angie laughs, and she protectively hugs Blaine to her side. "He's done this through sheer hard work and determination, and plenty of love from Kurt. I'm so proud of you today, my darling boy."

"Thanks mom."

"Have you decided on a job yet?"

"No."

"Why did you decide against NASA?" Santana asks with a frown, ignoring the dig in the ribs from Kurt.

"I didn't," he snaps. "NASA decided against me."

He walks away, unable to bear it any more, and leaving Kurt to explain.

"I thought he was a shoo-in?"

"We all did," he tells Santana sadly. "Professor Scarbo wrote his recommendation... we felt for sure he'd at least get an interview for the graduate program, but it's just not happened. It's not going to, either. The initial orientation is in a week. That's why we're not going on vacation until June, we all figured Blaine would be down in Florida."

"Poor guy," Brian says with a sigh.

"I feel bad," Kurt admits. "Like maybe we were all too upbeat, too positive, you know? He's taken this really hard, keeps saying he's let everyone down, and I hate it. We all just assumed he'd get in, especially when he got his grades."

"I'll go talk to him," Burt offers. "Kid can't graduate with tears rolling down his cheeks."

He finds Blaine sitting alone on a bench, looking across the courtyard that he's crossed many times on his way to the engineering building. Burt sits down next to him and puts an arm around his shoulders, pleased when Blaine rests his head in the crook of his neck.

"Sorry," he mutters. "I shouldn't have snapped like that."

"It's stressful for you, we all get that."

"All this time I've spent waiting to be able to provide, to be able to contribute equally to our marriage and now..."

"You'll get a job."

"I know, but..."

"Not the one you want."

"No." He pauses, wiping at his eyes. "I feel dumb. This is my graduation, you know? And I'm ruining it for myself. Professor Scarbo has already asked me to go work with him temporarily if I don't find anything else, so it's not like I'll be out of work... but NASA...it was all I dreamed of. Kurt was so prepared to move to Florida too."

"What does Scarbo say about all this?" Burt asks with interest. "I mean, he really championed you on this, didn't he? Did anyone else apply?"

"Nico did, and he got in," Blaine says sadly. "He's super smart though."

"Not as smart as you though, he can't be," Burt says proudly.

"Well….no," Blaine admits with a shy smile. "But it makes no difference, does it? He got in and I didn't. Scarbo is as confused as I am. He called them for me, in case my reply had gotten lost or whatever, but they said they had heard back from everyone who had been granted an interview, and that the interviews had been done and offers sent."

"Y'know, sometimes life doesn't work out the way we imagined it," Burt says, holding him close. "Look at us, huh? You never imagined losing your dad, going through all that with Spencer, and I never imagined gaining another kid, falling for your mom..."

"Aha! So you have fallen for her then?"

"Be quiet. This is me giving you a pep talk, kid. Take it. We have to adapt, go with the flow. Sometimes the worst things in life have to happen for the best things to come about. You went through so much and ultimately, it brought you to Kurt."

"And you."

"And me."

"I love you," Blaine says, hugging him tight. "And I love that you love my mom."

"I never said that."

"You didn't have to."

Feeling brighter, Blaine returns to Kurt's side and poses for photos. It might not be as he wanted, but he's here, he and Kurt have had an amazingly happy first year of marriage, and he's completed his degree.

He searches for professor Scarbo but can't find him anywhere. He does, however, notice Amy, his daughter, and gives a polite wave. He was still acting as a tutor to her and Ben twice a week, and Amy was still in a relationship with Toni. He loves spending time with the Scarbo family, and he had wanted to thank them for their unwavering support, but he supposes he will have to do it after.

"I have to go take my seat," he tells Kurt, feeling suddenly nervous in his violet gown.

"Good luck. Oh, and Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

Blaine manages a smile, and hugs Kurt hard. "I love you too."

The ceremony passes quickly for Blaine but slowly for Kurt, who feels as though he waits a lifetime for his husband's name to be called, even though he's third on the list.

"Blaine Anderson Hummel," rings out through the auditorium, and Kurt is positive he receives the loudest, most unruly cheer from the assembled friends and family. He looks embarrassed, of course, but he also gives a really happy, genuine smile and Kurt finds himself wiping away tears.

"You did it!" he squeaks excitedly, hurling himself into Blaine's arms. "And, what is more, I did it! I have successfully maintained a relationship with you all the way through your college years, and I haven't broken it off once!"

Blaine laughs and kisses him soundly on the mouth. "You have been incredible. I couldn't have done it without you, I know, because I would have run home for a start, or quit when I got less than ninety five on a test."

"I love being married to a nerd," Kurt says proudly, linking his arm through his. "Oh, hey, there's professor Scarbo. You wanna go say hi?"

"Oh, no, he's with people."

"So? He'll be wanting to see you. Come on."

Kurt drags him over and he's right, professor Scarbo immediately halts his conversation and gives Blaine a strong hug, patting him soundly on the back. "Best student ever," he says proudly. "And the incredibly talented and supportive husband," he smiles, shaking Kurt's hand. "Well done, Blaine. I actually teared up when I saw you up there."

"Wasn't he great?" Kurt asks, beaming at Blaine who is rapidly turning pink.

"He was. Blaine, I'd like you to meet Naomi Riley and Lance Callaghan. Naomi, Lance, this is Blaine Anderson Hummel and his husband, Kurt."

"Nice to meet you," Blaine says politely, and shakes the hands of the tall, smart and sophisticated black woman, and the shorter, older gray haired man, who looks like he's just rolled out of bed. Kurt follows suit, making a mental note to ask Naomi where she got those shoes from, because he needs to feature them in his next shoot in some way.

"Naomi and Lance are professors at NASA's creative engineering centre," Scarbo explains. "I was telling them you had applied for the graduate program."

"Yeah. I uh...I didn't get in," he says shyly. Of all the people he had to meet, why them? Why now?

"No, Peter was saying."

"Is that your name?" Kurt asks professor Scarbo in surprise. "Huh. You learn something new."

"I actually read over your application," Lance carries on. "And forwarded it to Naomi."

"Oh." It gets worse, Blaine thinks to himself.

"I know why you were rejected, but I don't know why you didn't receive an explanation," Naomi tells him. "I can only apologize for that."

"It doesn't matter," Blaine says quietly, seeking out Kurt's hand for comfort. "Some things just aren't meant to be."

"No, they're not," Naomi agrees. "And you're not meant for NASA's graduate program. You're too good. That was why Lance and I were sent your application, Blaine, because we want you to skip the program and start work for us right away."

Blaine stumbles slightly on the spot, and is speechless, until Kurt squeezes his hand. "Excuse me?"

"We would like to offer you a job at our Jet Propulsion Labs in California," Lance tells him. "You'd be working specifically in our Mars Science Lab, helping to design robotic planetary spacecraft for exploration of Mars. We would also like you to work for your doctorate while you're there, which we would fund. Peter tells us you're incredibly gifted at working with students too, so we'd like to utilize that and have you form part of our college intern training team."

"We need your brain," Naomi interrupts. "Your ideas are incredible. The passion you showed for the company in your application, your supporting essays, Peter's recommendation... Well, we were incredibly impressed, and that's why we decided to fly out here to meet you and offer you the job face to face. A letter was supposed to precede our visit, and I'm so sorry it got overlooked somehow."

"But... A job?" Blaine stutters. "You want to offer me a job? In California?"

"Yes. Starting in August. We figure that would give you time to tie things up here, find somewhere to live, and also to take the vacation Peter tells us you have booked."

"So," Naomi asks with a smile. "What do you say?"

"Uh...thank you. I need to... I need to talk to Kurt, obviously," he says, still in complete shock. "I'm grateful for the offer, but my marriage comes first, and if Kurt..."

"He'll take it."

Blaine spins around with wide eyes. "What?"

"Excuse me a moment," Kurt says politely to the three professors. "Blaine, you have been dreaming of this since you were a little boy. What possible reason is there to refuse? That thing...the Mars thingy, I know you geek out over that, because I look over your shoulder when you're reading online to check it's not porn. I guess for you, it is." He laughs at his own joke, then realizes the professors probably geek out over the exact same thing. "Take the job, Blaine."

"But moving all that way?"

"So? I was prepared to go to Florida, what's wrong with California? It's better, really, when you think about it. You love it there, for a start. We could live near the beach, your mom would be close by and hey, I'll have so much fashion to write about living near LA. You know this makes sense, Blaine. This is it, this is your dream coming true."

"But you..."

"Would follow you to the ends of the earth. I love you."

"I just..." he turns to the professors, but shakes his head. "Just give me a moment, please."

He breaks away, pushing through the crowd until he's outside, with Kurt hot on his heels. "Blaine! Hold up! Hey!"

Breathless, he arrives in front of Burt and Angie, and grabs his dad's hand. "Would you move to California with us?"

"What?" Burt looks amazed at Kurt, who has caught up, and then back to Blaine.

"NASA wants me," Blaine says, grinning when he hears the words out loud. "Not to join the program, but to work for them in California, and to get my doctorate at the same time. Two professors are here, with Scarbo, and they offered me a job about two minutes ago."

"I hope you said yes!" Burt booms, while Angie tries desperately not to lose it completely and scream out loud.

"I haven't said anything. I don't want to do it if you're not there. I want you to move out there with us. We could be a family. The four of us."

"But..."

"Please? Kurt and I….we can make it anywhere. We have each other, but you..."

"You make it all complete, dad," Kurt says from next to him. "Angie would be there, we would... we need you."

"I need you too," Angie pipes up. "And... well, if you were prepared to move….would you consider moving in with me, maybe?"

"You would want that?" Burt asks, surprised. "I thought we were taking this slow?"

"It's been a whole damn year of taking it slow!" Angie cries. "But we still can, if that's what you want?"

"I make it all complete?" he asks quietly. "Really?"

"Really," Kurt and Blaine say together.

"And the second I've got that doctorate, we're making babies," Blaine declares, kissing Kurt's cheek and nuzzling against him. "And you'll want to be nearby for that."

"Oh I will. And I guess I'm ready to retire."

"We could buy another car and work on it together?" Kurt coaxes, and finally, Burt lets a massive grin take over his face.

"Yes."

"Yes?" Blaine shrieks, as he starts to bounce. "Yes?"

"Yes I'll move to Cali with you and yes," he says, turning to Angie. "I'd be honored to live with you."

It is a messy hug between the four of them, full of tears of joy, smiles, and lots of laughter, but then Burt suddenly remembers. "Go!" he orders Blaine. "Go and accept your job! I need to kiss your mom."

"Ew!" Blaine laughs, grabbing Kurt's hand. "Okay, we're going."

They run back inside, but Blaine stops them just before they enter the auditorium. "Are you sure?"

"Apart from marrying you, I've never been more sure of anything in my entire life," he says, giving Blaine a gentle kiss. "The Hummel's are moving to California."

The rest of the day passes in a blur. Blaine happily accepts the job, Kurt enters into a discussion about shoes, and Burt orders everyone to join them for dinner.

Plenty of champagne is consumed, and in between excited discussions with Professors Callaghan and Riley about the Jet Lab, happy, tearful talks with Angie about where he and Kurt might settle, and eager demands from Santana about when she can visit, Blaine still finds time to pull Kurt into his lap, without even caring who's looking on.

"Just in case you didn't know? Being married to you is the best thing."

"Well, I did know that, yeah, because I'm me," he teases, he wraps his arms around Blaine's neck and leans down, kissing him softly. "Happy anniversary," he whispers.

"You too. Next year will be a quieter celebration, I promise."

"It's been amazing," Kurt says. He is focused on Blaine completely, rubbing their noses together in a sweet butterfly kiss. "I'm so happy you got this. You deserve the best things in life. Me, obviously, and a great job."

"I hope you get a great job too."

"I will. Because I have you backing me up. I might even go it alone, maybe. Do a bit of freelance work, get my own website up and running. I don't know, but I do know that this is going to be an amazing adventure."

Blaine reaches up, his hand finding the back of Kurt's neck, and drawing him down into a soft, loving kiss. "Let me take you out tonight. For more champagne, maybe? It's our first anniversary. We should do something, and it's still early."

"We should do something," Kurt agrees, "But let's not go out. Let's go home and build another blanket fort. We can grab some champagne, some ice cream, and watch a movie together."

"When did you become tame?"

"I don't know," Kurt admits with a laugh. "But I just really appreciate time alone with you."

And so, once all the goodbyes have been said, and plans are made to meet Angie and Burt for brunch, and for Blaine and Kurt to fly out to California the following week to look for apartments and visit the labs, they head home.

None of the movie gets watched, in fact neither one would be able to tell you what they had picked. Lying on top of a duvet in just their underwear, with a blanket draped over two chairs, they drink more champagne, eat their ice cream, and make wild, fanciful and outrageous dreams for the future, like buying a yacht and a colony of Llamas.

"I don't even think a group of Llamas is called a colony," Blaine cries in between laughing.

"Don't care, I want a whole bunch of them and I want to call them my colony."

"You're insane. Hey, you know what we should do?"

"What?"

"When we're really rich we should buy our own deserted island."

"Goes without saying. Know what else we should do?"

"What?"

"Make love," Kurt says with a grin. He takes Blaine's glass from his hand, and sets it outside of the fort, before rolling on top of him and letting his hands smooth over his sides. "Oh my God," he gasps, suddenly realizing. "If you get your doctorate, will you be professor Anderson Hummel?"

"Well I'd probably choose to be professor Hummel, but yeah," he says shyly. "I would."

"Holy hell," Kurt whispers, his eyes wide. "That is hot."

"Oh please." Blaine rolls his eyes and turns his head to the side, but he secretly loves the look on Kurt's face, and the way he can feel him getting turned on.

"Tell me you'll wear glasses."

"Kurt! What is it with you and my glasses? You jump me whenever I need to wear them. I swear I'll end up getting contacts."

"No!" Kurt leans down, kissing along his neck and then biting at the soft skin. "Don't ever get contacts, professor Hummel. That would be a bad idea."

"Kuurt."

"Professor Hummel?"

The way he says it, his eyes wide and biting down coyly on his bottom lip, makes Blaine flip them, pinning Kurt's wrists above his head.

"Professor Hummel wants you," he murmurs darkly, grinding down against him. "And I'm going to take you. Right now."

"Oh fuck," Kurt moans. "Yes."

"These boxers of yours are so tight," Blaine says, running his hand over Kurt's rapidly hardening bulge. "You look so good in them. Your ass..."

Kurt lifts his hips, pushing up against the feel of Blaine's palm running over him, seeking more. "Get them off," he whines, his fingers digging into Blaine's shoulder in pleasure. "Please. Just touch me."

But Blaine teases, keeping their underwear in place, as he makes out with Kurt heatedly, grinding against him, until he can feel dampness between them. "I could...mmm..kiss you forever," he whispers, moving lower to kiss down the center of Kurt's chest. "Taste you, touch you..."

"Fuck me."

Blaine laughs, swatting at Kurt's thigh. "Don't ruin the moment."

"Don't tease me then!"

"Fine." Kneeling between Kurt's legs, he quickly hoists his ankles onto his shoulders, and yanks down his boxers, only Kurt's legs are long, and the roof of the fort collapses when he kicks it, tangling them both in a heavy blanket.

"Ahhh!" Kurt screams. "I'm blind!"

"You're not blind," Blaine laughs, tugging the blanket away. "You're overly dramatic, but not blind. Now where were we? Ah yes, about here..."

He takes Kurt in his mouth, but has to pull back when Kurt starts to laugh. "I'm sorry," he cries, when Blaine huffs. "But that was really funny."

"Not as funny as the time you got drunk and fell out of bed when you tried to rim me."

"Or when the hot water ran out just as we were about to reach our climax," Kurt grins.

"I particularly liked it when we were kissing so hard that we fell over the back of the couch and you ended up on the floor."

"That was not funny!" Kurt protests. "I had to have stitches in that cut." He feels the back of his head gingerly, remembering both their blushes as they had attempted to explain to the ER doctor how Kurt had headbutted the coffee table. He laughs happily when his husband does though, and leans in for a kiss when Blaine settles on his side next to him, propped on one elbow.

"We have a lot of fun together."

"We do," Kurt agrees. "We were kinda in the middle of something though, weren't we? Before the roof collapsed? Can we get back to that, maybe?"

"Yeah." Blaine gives a lazy smile, pulls off his own underwear, and turns Kurt over, pulling him back against him. "Let's."

Their laughter subsides, and is replaced once more with a deep burning passion. Blaine worships Kurt, and Kurt gives himself over entirely, letting Blaine take all the control. He guides Kurt to orgasm with deep, long thrusts, still curled in behind him, his body pressed tightly against the curve of Kurt's back.

"I love you so much," he whispers, and that tips them both over the edge. Kurt reaches down, his hand resting over Blaine's, as they come together. He keeps holding on too, even after their orgasms have long since passed, and Blaine is lying on his back, Kurt settles next to him and is still holding his hand.

"I love you too," he eventually murmurs, though they are nearly asleep already. "Professor Hummel."