The next few days were a whirlwind of getting their musical production choice confirmed, setting up audition dates and times for the kids, and picking out how they wanted to shorten the musical because it really needed to be under two hours, including the intermission. It was hard to make cuts to the show because they realized, as they began planning and planning more together, that they both loved the show because of its message, because of what it meant to them and to people they knew. Cutting any of it was hard, and especially a full half-an-hour's worth.

Work at the newspaper office turned into planning time for the musical, too. Every moment that they weren't on assignment for Joel, they were chit-chatting about what they wanted to do and how they wanted to manage the production on the school's budget and rather small stage. They were both determined to see it through, though, and they were both devoted to the show going off as well as it could.

All that time spent together was good for their friendship, too. They were texting each other every night, and not just to talk about musical stuff, though the production did tend to monopolize their time. They were growing more touchy-feely with each other, too, hugging when they were excited about something, high-fiving, and cuddling in close to read over each other's shoulders. They even found themselves telling each other that they'd missed the other when they got together each morning, and neither of them felt embarrassed to admit that.

Even their parents were noticing differences in them, and they would often comment when they arrived home about how smiley they were or how much happier they seemed.

"Another wonderful evening with Kurt?" Pam often asked when Blaine got home.

"You two seemed rather snuggly today," Joel would add. "Be careful about too much PDA at work."

Blaine would just roll his eyes. "Dad, there's no PDA. Kurt and I are just friends."

"I bet that won't last long," his parents would reply, smiling as Blaine just rolled his eyes and headed up to his room to text with Kurt and plan for their production.

"This Blaine kid is good for you," Burt pointed out several times, making Kurt blush. "I haven't seen you this excited to spend time with someone since… Well, for a long time."

"He's pretty nice," Kurt often admitted. "But we're just friends. No relationship for me right now. I just want to focus on finishing the Berry house."

"Kid, one of these days you're going to have to realize that you can be happy. I know you need time to grieve your past relationship, but if your heart is telling you to give Blaine a chance, you should."

"It's not, Dad. I'll be sure to listen if it does, though." Okay. Maybe it is a little… Maybe I should listen...

One evening, after a wonderful day spent making a final audition schedule and texting with one another nonstop, Kurt retired to his room following a delicious supper with his father. Burt was planning to watch his latest obsession, some hunting or fishing show, and Kurt couldn't care less.

He'd just laid back against his pillow, shooting off a text to Blaine when his phone buzzed with an incoming text from an unknown number. Kurt opened it, curious. It said, "Hey. This is Ryan. I have something to tell you. It's important."

A moment later, Kurt's phone rang. He answered it tentatively, his voice quavering as he said, "Hello?"

"Kurt? Ryan. What are you doing?"

"Nothing exciting. Why?"

"Oh…" Ryan sighed, his voice taking on a more sultry tone. "I've missed you."

Kurt stayed silent.

"Have you missed me?"

"No."

"Not at all? Really?"

"No."

"We were together for years. How can you have forgotten me so easily?"

"Maybe because you broke my heart, Ryan. Maybe because I counted on you to believe in me and support me when things got tough. Instead, you left me without saying anything because you decided my worth was based on the words I could produce."

"I've changed."

"I doubt that."

"I have!"

"Prove it."

Ryan sighed, chuckling maniacally in the back of his throat. "I have nothing to prove to you. And that's not why I called."

"Whyever did you, then?"

"I've been talking to your agent. They want to take you back."

"Excuse me?"

"I told them you were writing again. They want your new words."

Kurt's voice was tight when he replied, "I'm not."

"Not yet."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"You're gonna love this… You're gonna write our story."

"What do you mean by 'our story'?"

Ryan sighed heavily, as if explaining to Kurt what he meant with his ambiguous language was somehow a heavy burden on him. "When I left you a few months ago, I didn't really leave you. Not for good, anyway. It was all part of a plan. I did it so that, when I came back to you and told you my master plan, you'd have a romantic story to write about me. I mean us."

Kurt felt like his heart had stopped beating; he didn't know if it was from anger at the way Ryan had treated him, apparently thinking it was all a prank in good fun, or if it was because his body was suddenly reliving the pain of the day he'd come home to the note, the day he felt like his life was truly and completely over with no job, no boyfriend, and no hobby to make him smile anymore. He stayed completely silent, any words he wanted to say dying the moment they tried to leave his mouth. This is abuse, his mind raged at him. This is… This is every red flag you ever saw in your relationship with him, every little thing he said or did that made you feel icky inside. This is what it was all leading up to, the biggest lie you've ever been told. And he thinks it's fine. He thinks it's deserved and good for you. You, Kurt Hummel, are better than this piece of shit. You deserve better than this.

"Oh, you seriously can't be mad," Ryan said after he couldn't take the silence anymore. "This is a good thing, a truly selfless thing that I did for you. I gave up this fantastic life I had with you so that you could get some material for your next show. You can't be mad. This whole thing is a gift for you. You should be grateful."

"Grateful? You think I should be grateful to you? After what you did to me, breaking my heart, leaving me when I was at my lowest point, making me feel like I didn't deserve to be happy… You think… That I… Should thank you?"

"Yeah. I mean, who else are you going to find in your life that would do something that epic for you? Who else is going to give up so much for you to be able to write a stupid little play about? Name one person."

"No. The people in my life deserve more respect from me than to say their names in the presence of a dirty fucking liar who never loved a single cell in my body. You're a user, an abuser, and you're unworthy of a relationship with anyone. Especially someone like me." He nearly choked getting the last sentence out, but it had to be said. Fight for yourself.

"Avoidance? What a wonderful tactic for a writer. Avoidance means you have nothing and no one, just like you did when you left New York."

"My life is fuller now than it ever was. I have a purpose here in Lima. I have a man whom I love, people who want to talk to me and be around me, people who support me in my endeavors, who are happy when I achieve something and who hold me up when I'm having a hard time. That's more than you can say." Kurt, did you really just tell him that you love Blaine? Is that really how you feel? Love? There was no time to mull it over then.

Ryan snorted. "You went back to Lima? Guess I know why everyone back there called you a Lima Loser."

Kurt's blood ran cold and the use of the old nickname, the one he'd never told a living soul about, the one Ryan must have done some research on him to find out about. He didn't have to sit there and take this. "Goodbye, Ryan," he said, his voice much calmer than his trembling limbs betrayed. "Find someone else to take your shit." Then, he hung up.

For a little while after the phone call, Kurt just sat there on the bed, clutching the phone to his chest and crying. His entire body shook with the sobs, and he let the tears flow freely, making his face sticky with salt, dripping hot droplets onto his hands and his expensive blue jeans. Eventually, his body had no more tears to make, and he quieted, swiping his wet eyelashes with the back of his hand.

Then, with trembling fingers, he blocked Ryan's number, feeling a bit of relief from that one simple task.

After that, he texted Blaine.

To Blaine: I know this sucks, but I can't do auditions tomorrow. I'm not feeling well. Can you do them without me?

To Kurt: No way am I doing them without you. We'll reschedule. And unless you say no, I'm coming to see you at lunch tomorrow and bringing chicken noodle soup.

To Blaine: You're the best.

Kurt wanted to add, And I think I just told Ryan that I love you. Do you love me, too? Then, he leaned back against his pillows to think, wondering if what he'd told his ex was really true. If it was, where had it come from? Was he ready for a relationship? Or was what Ryan had said true? Was he a Lima loser? Did Blaine really want him or had he made it up in his head?