A/N Sorry for the delay, I wrote this chapter and then hated every word so completely changed it! Sorry, hope the delay was worth it for you guys :)

I don't own Glee.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Blaine's fingers gently grazed the dried pink cherry petals, silken to the touch and he gasped as pain exploded into his skull. As the petals disintegrated before their very eyes, Blaine could hardly think. He felt as though his eyeballs were about to explode from the pressure in his mind as hundreds of memories swirled round, seemingly swimming in front of his very face; sitting at the piano at Dalton, Kurt's face smiling at him, Kurt's laugh, dancing to Katy Perry, Kurt making love to him, sitting at home as his mother sobbed, he and Kurt in the graveyard, standing in front of a cherry tree with Kurt by his side. So many images all muddled together and with it, a multitude of emotions, so many he couldn't grasp what he was feeling. Love? Pain? Sorrow? Joy? He heard a scream that sounded far away but he realised with a start that it was him. His voice, his pain. His brain felt like it was going to rupture from the pressure of all this information flying.

"Blaine! Blaine, please talk to me. Please." Blaine could hear Kurt's pleas but couldn't seem to move, to stop the barrage of memories flying into his head. "Oh my God. Blaine. Please not again. Please." He could hear Kurt's sobs and his heart wrenched in his chest. He wanted to tell Kurt that everything would be alright, but that would have been a lie. Blaine did not feel alright. Feeling the blackness taking a hold of him, it claimed him only seconds later.

Kurt sat in the family and friends waiting area. He didn't know how long he had been there for, but it felt like years. The doctors had told him that only family could see Blaine right now, but he couldn't wait. After Blaine's collapse, he remembered the owner of the bar come backstage along with Mr Shue and they had called an ambulance for his dark haired lover. Wanting to climb into the ambulance after Blaine he had been held back by his teacher, much to his dismay. And now he was here, in the hospital, not being allowed to see the man that he loved. Mr Shue had left hours ago, worrying about Kurt's state of mind until Kurt himself had told him to leave. He couldn't stand the buzzing around him. He only wanted to be by his Blaine's side.

Getting up from the uncomfortable plastic chair he had been sitting in, Kurt stretched and made his way over to the window, spotting Blaine's parents talking with the doctor. Frustrated at being left out and desperately wanting to see Blaine, he decided that he was going to sneak in to see the boy. Taking great care Kurt opened the door as quietly as possible, sliding through it and down the corridor, thanking his lucky stars that no one had spotted him. Getting to Blaine's room, he knocked lightly and slipped inside, shutting the door behind him. Blaine looked so small and vulnerable lying in the bed and Kurt's heart gave a painful tug at seeing him this way.

"Kurt?"Blaine called out quietly, his hand rubbing his temples soothingly as though he had a headache.

Dashing over to Blaine's side and seating himself at the edge of the bed gingerly so he didn't jostle the boy, Kurt looked down at him with great concern. He looked so pale, his skin almost translucent. "Blaine. You're ok? I was so worried."

"I...I remember everything. I remember walking home from the corner shop, the bullies from my old school beating me. I remember sitting alone at the piano at Dalton playing every night thinking that no one cared, that I was invisible. I was there for so long and yet it felt like minutes at the same time. It wasn't until you showed up that time started flowing for me again. I remember our first meeting. I remember the dates, the fun we had, everything. I remember you making love to me and telling me you loved me. The cemetery, sitting at home watching my parents looking sad. It's all come back to me. I remember standing in front of the cherry tree, my tree, and touching it. I was given a second chance on life. That was how history changed and I didn't die. It was as though the lost part of me connected with the rest of my soul living inside the tree and it gave me a second chance to live. I was 'reborn' so to speak and it was all because of you. Because you found me and led me back to the rest of me. You saved me Kurt. You made me whole again, made me visible."

Kurt sat dumbfounded, he had no idea what to say. He had wondered many times how Blaine had come back. Sometimes he felt he was going quite mad. That everything that had happened had been a dream. That it couldn't possibly have been real. By the time Kurt had found his tongue, he was shaking like a leaf from the revelation that if it hadn't been for him, Blaine would not be here now. "I...I don't know what to say. But... no it doesn't matter."

"What is it honey?" Blaine asked gently, his hand covering Kurt's and giving it a light, comforting squeeze.

"Well, if everything changed, all of history, how come I remembered you?"

Blaine smiled warmly, his hand reaching up to Kurt's heart where the now empty locket lay on his chest. "Because you kept a little part of me with you. The part that remembered you when we first met before I had my second chance. You kept it right next to your heart."

"So I kept your memories alive?"

"Yeah, well you are my soul mate after all. That's why you were drawn to Dalton in the first place. That's how you found me, how you could see me. That's why you remembered after everything changed. Our souls, they're connected you and I. I love you. I don't ever want to be apart from you ever again." The lump in Kurt's throat rose, getting bigger by the second. He had his Blaine back, but he lived in New York, and Kurt lived in Ohio. They were still so far apart.

"But I'll be going back to Ohio after nationals..." Kurt whispered, tears stinging his eyes. He tried in vain not to let them flow in front of the man he loved, but Blaine's comforting touch let loose the torrent that had been threatening to flow.

"I know, but we can keep in touch and it'll only be a year till you can come to New York, right?"

"I guess..."Kurt mumbled, looking down at his hands.

"Kurt?" Lifting his head, Kurt gazed into the troubled golden eyes he loved so much and before he knew it, he was blurting out his fears to Blaine.

"I just...I don't want to leave you either. I lost you once, I don't want to lose you again."

"But you won't. You won't ever lose me. I'll be right here waiting for you."

Feeling a pull from Blaine's hand, Kurt fell into the smaller boys arms, melting into his embrace. He sighed as he felt the strong arms of Blaine wrap around him tightly and his eyes drifted shut. At this moment Kurt felt more at peace than any other time in his life. This was meant to be. It always had. Hearing the door click open, Kurt went to move back but Blaine's tight hold of him wouldn't allow him. "Blaine? Who is this?" Blaine's mother firmly inquired, her mouth only a thin line. Kurt had outstayed his welcome.

"I should go."

Wriggling out of Blaine's grasp, Kurt almost sighed from the loss of his loving, warm embrace. He couldn't look at Blaine again, it was too much. He didn't think he would ever leave if he did. "Wait." Turning, Kurt had no choice but to stare into Blaine's beautiful eyes. The eyes that pleaded silently for him to stay, but he shook his head sadly. Leaning down Kurt kissed him passionately. That would have to do for now. "I'll see you at nationals." Kurt allowed himself the briefest of smiles as he took in Blaine's promise, closing the door to Blaine's hospital room behind him.

Blaine couldn't wait to see Kurt's performance on stage. He had been watching the whole show from the audience, waiting with baited breath for his boyfriend's, or at least he hoped was his boyfriend, performance. All the other choirs mingled into one for him as they all sang similar pop songs or show tunes. He hoped that Kurt's team had picked something different to do. Nervous for them, his leg twitched up and down rapidly the longer he waited.

"Now for the next performance. From Lima, Ohio; the New Directions!" The cheerful voice of the announcer came over the auditorium and Blaine took in a deep breath. This was it. Their chance to shine. Blaine listened avidly as the music started. He didn't recognise the tune but it had a nice melody. He politely listened as Kurt's friend Rachel and a tall boy took to the stage to sing their duet. It was well performed and they certainly had chemistry, there was no question of that. Disappointed that Kurt wasn't singing, he sat back to wait for the next song until a deathly hush fell over the audience. Looking at the stage Blaine's eyes widened at seeing these two kissing on stage. His mind immediately flew to Kurt, images of kissing the boy to within an inch of his life and he knew that given the choice, he may well have done the same thing, audience be damned. Smiling he daydreamed that it was him and Kurt up on that stage...

Seeing Kurt's slightly scowling face, Blaine had to try hard not to chuckle. He clearly wasn't too impressed with his friends impulsiveness. Sidling up to him, Blaine slid his arms round Kurt's waist, kissing his cheek, and, as he did so, heard a slight squeak from the boy in surprise. "Hey. You were amazing."

"Blaine! You made it! I couldn't see you in the audience." Twirling around in his arms, Kurt turned to face him, the broad smile making Blaine grin back as he felt Kurt's arms snake around his neck.

"I would never have missed this. I love you remember."

"Oh Blaine. I love you too." Kurt's lips came crashing down on his own fiercely, his tongue flicking out to claim more of Blaine, which he quickly allowed as he parted his lips to deepen the kiss. Neither cared that they had an audience.

"Dude, you're brother's totally making out with that piano guy from the bar the other night." Puck pointed out to Finn, who was mooning over Rachel, as usual. Puck rolled his eyes at his lovestruck friend.

"What?" Finn turned round to see his brother kissing some dude. Not that he minded Kurt liking dudes but he didn't even know this guy. "Who is he?"

Rachel supplied him with an answer before Puck or Santana could say something rude or catty. "That's Blaine. He and Kurt like each other, although they have only known each other for a couple of days so I'm not sure how appropriate this is." Finn kinda thought that his little brother was eating this guys face off, but if this is what he wanted, who was he to stand in the way, right? He promised himself to have a little talk with him though before they got home...

Kurt stood in the airport waiting area for his flight. They hadn't won at nationals but that didn't matter to him. He had won his heart back. Blaine was back in his life and this time he was alive and kicking. They could now spend their lives together with nothing holding them back. Well, once Kurt had graduated, that was. He knew this final year would be a challenge, but there was nothing they couldn't face together and that was how they would stay, he was sure of it.

He looked across to Blaine,who was dutifully by his side. They were like two halves of the same coin, not able to exist without the other. Kurt sighed, leaving would be so hard. "I wish I could stay, even if it was for one last night."

"Me too. I'll miss you." Blaine whispered back, his eyes shining from unshed tears. Blaine's hand gripped Kurt's tightly, not wanting to let go.

"I'll miss you more."

"You could never miss me more than I miss you. It's simply not possible. Call me when you get back home so I know you're safe, ok?" Kurt couldn't deny the simple truth to Blaine's words. After all he had waited for Kurt even after his death. That was how strong their tie was to one another, despite neither of them knowing the other. He leant his forehead to Blaine's, nodding that he would do as the older boy asked of him.

"Ok." Blaine rubbing his nose against Kurt's in a loving manner, kissed Kurt lightly one last time as the announcement to board the plane came over the intercom and Kurt, with a heavy heart, picked up his carry on bag and left for home.