"Say it once more, but slower."
Burt Hummel shook his head slightly at his son's dumbfounded expression and fought a smile. He looked like a child, eyes sparkling with excitement and shock. They were sat at the Hummel's kitchen table: Blaine, Kurt, Pam, and Cooper. Santana was digging through their pantry for a snack.
"I said, because we were able to send a telegram ahead to that bank, they were able to catch the Crawford Gang as they attempted to rob them. Because we alerted them and helped with the capture, we received the reward money."
Blaine and Kurt were silent as they processed what this meant. Pam grinned and patted Blaine on the back.
"See?" She exclaimed. "Something wonderful came out of this whole mess!"
"But, who sent a telegram?" Blaine asked.
"That would be me," Santana said around a mouthful of freshly baked bread and jam. "While you were busy napping and being lazy, I was sending word to the bank."
"By 'napping and being lazy,' are you meaning when we were recovering from our injuries resulting from being kidnapped?" Kurt asked, arms crossed.
She cackled and smeared more jam on another piece of bread.
"The point is," Burt continued. "We got the money and decided that it would be the right thing to do to give it to you boys."
Blaine and Kurt's mouths dropped open again and they looked at each other in disbelief. Pam clapped her hands.
"Oh my goodness look at them! They are so shocked!"
"But…" Blaine took his mother's hand. "You should keep the money, mother. You need it."
She shook her head and touched his cheek. "No, we want you and Kurt to take it and go to New York. Follow your dreams. You deserve it."
Santana made a gagging sound, but Blaine ignored her and fell into Pam's arms crying. Kurt looked to Burt who nodded at his questioning eyes. "Yes, both of you. I told you I wanted you to do what you want, Kurt. I want you to be happy."
"Thank you!" Kurt said, hugging his father tightly. He pulled away and his smile slipped from his face. "But what about you? I can't leave you here to run the business all alone."
"Finn has had been helping me while you have been recovering and we talked last week. He wants to take over when he's ready. He's going to ask Rachel to marry him and wants to learn a trade to support her." Burt clasped his sons shoulder and wiped a tear from his cheek. "Everything is settled. I will be fine and so will you. I know things won't ever be easy for you both, but I know that you can do it."
Kurt hugged a still crying Blaine to him while Pam and Burt grinned proudly at each other across the table.
"Well, I guess if we are sharing news…" Cooper stood from his chair and smiled down at his feet. Everyone gave him their attention, even Santana who was licking jam from her fingers. "It turns out, I am going to be a father."
Everyone gasped. He beamed back at them, happiness making his eyes spark.
"Who is the mother?" Pam asked a little nervously. It wasn't unknown how many lovers Cooper had. Her concern wasn't unwarranted.
"Well, her name is Mary and she works at Sue's brothel, but don't worry mother. Please don't faint, it's going to be alright. She is going to come stay with me and we will raise the baby together."
"Cooper Johnathan Anderson!" Pam had stood and raised to her full height and was clutching her cross necklace. He winced. "I know I taught you better than that! How could you-"
"Mother! Mother, calm down," Cooper soothed as he helped her to sit back down. "I plan on marrying her, if she will have me and raising the child. I just wanted you to know you will be a grandmother."
She seemed appeased at this and she relaxed. Everyone congratulated Cooper except for Santana who moaned that there didn't need to be any more Coopers in the world. He just chuckled and promised to make the child call her Auntie. She rolled her eyes, but seemed pleased.
They celebrated that night with all of their closest friends: the Jones family, the Evans family, Cooper's pregnant fiancé, (he had asked her as soon as he had left that afternoon) Rachel, Finn, Carole, Santana, Brittany, and of course their parents. They told everyone their news and celebrated.
Over the next several months, they made their plans and prepared to move. Kurt was excited to go, but had a hard time thinking about leaving the place he had always called home, his wonderful friends, and most importantly his father. Burt was sad as well, but he assured Kurt time and time again that he would be fine and he wanted this.
His wedding with Carole helped to distract his son from sadness as did Blaine in a more... physical way.
Kurt enjoyed getting closer to Finn who was his new step brother while Blaine found he adored Cooper's new wife Mary. She was sweet, but had a sharp wit that kept everyone on their toes. Pam loved her too and was excited for her first grandchild to be born so she could spoil the baby rotten. She was turning out clothes and blankets for the baby at an alarming rate.
Sam and Mercedes were struggling, but they were trying. Kurt and Blaine only hoped they would succeed, for not many understood their situation as well as they did.
Brittany and Santana were flourishing as well, cooking in their cafe. Santana was a pest as always and even went so far as to tell Kurt and Blaine she would hide in their luggage and follow them to New York. Blaine laughed, but Kurt just sipped his tea uneasily. He wasn't sure she was joking.
They left the next spring and almost a year after Blaine had first arrived in Lewistown, he was preparing to go back to New York. He remembered that day, his ride here with the stinky man and his mother who he thought would never understand him. He thought that it was the end of his dreams, then he caught sight of a beautiful blue-eyed boy and his life had changed for the better.
Blaine watched Kurt saying his goodbyes to Carole and Finn before moving down to Mercedes and Rachel.
Everyone had gathered to see them off and he had already shared tearful goodbyes with Sam and his other friends he had made in the town. He was still not sure Sam understood his relationship with Kurt even after having it explained carefully to him, but he hadn't even blinked and that was all that mattered to Blaine.
Miss Pillsbury had also come and had gifted Blaine with a very nice leather case to hold all of his necessary tools needed for practice.
Cooper and Mary were next, her swollen belly making it difficult to give her a proper hug.
"Goodbye, Coop." Blaine blinked against tears while Cooper sobbed like a baby and scooped Blaine up in his arms.
"You be careful out there by yourself, baby brother. Mary and I will visit once the baby is here, but try not to get yourself kidnapped again."
Blaine shoved him away playfully and saw Kurt speaking softly to his father. He could tell they were both crying as they embraced and his heart ached for his love.
"I'm going to miss you, son."
Pam was standing next to Mary, her hand holding her daughter-in-law's. She wasn't looking at Blaine, but he could tell she was trying not to break down. Other than the incident with the Crawford Gang, he had never been away from his mother for long and it was going to be hard on her. Blaine took his mother's hands in his own and kissed her cheek gently.
"I shall miss you too, mother. Be sure to give that baby lots of cuddles for me until I get to meet them."
She nodded and brushed tears from her eyes. Someone pulled Blaine into their arms and Blaine soon found himself staring into Brittany's bright eyes.
"Goodbye! Good luck on becoming a tailor!"
"I... Uh, never mind. Thank you, Brittany."
Blaine gave her a bemused smile and hugged her back before turning to Santana who stood next to her. She looked bored, but Blaine knew she was holding back her emotions as well.
"Santana, thank you. When we first met, I thought we would never get along."
Santana watched him and waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she burst out laughing and hugged him. He grinned back at her reaction and caught her eyes.
"I'll miss you."
"I will miss embarrassing you."
Blaine shook his head as someone tugged on his sleeve.
"Are you ready?"
Kurt's eyes were rimmed in red, but a clear blue-green and he couldn't stop the excitement from turning up the corners of his lips. It caused the little dimple to show itself and Blaine's heart to flip in his chest. He thought that he had lost everything when he came here last year, but he had found something even better.
He resisted the urge to kiss Kurt senseless and checked his pocket watch instead. Right on time.
"I'm ready my dear."
They climbed into the station wagon together and waved until their families were a tiny blur on the horizon.
Off to their next adventure.
The End.
Huge thank you to everyone who has read the story and reviewed! Our stories only get better because of you!
Next week we will be posting the first chapter of our new story called City of Heartbreak. The title sounds like a downer, but it's probably not as upsetting as you're thinking. We hope you will consider giving it a chance!
We hope you enjoyed! -A and K