Chapter One

Aww, Look, It's Baby Phil!

"This is Lombard Street, in San Francisco, California. This will be the starting line for this special edition of The Amazing Race. Twelve teams of two are making their way here by Double-Decker tour bus. You'll recognize some of the teams from last season. They are; Tina and Mike, recently married veterinary intern and choreographer from Chicago, Illinois."

"We can't wait to race again! Last time was so incredible!" Tina said, smiling happily at the camera as she snuggled close to Mike. "This time it will be like a Honeymoon for us!"

Mike laughed and leaned in to kiss her. "It doesn't matter if we get eliminated first, or if we go all the way. The only thing that matters is that we're doing this together."

"Will and Emma, engaged educators from Des Moines, Iowa."

"I wasn't sure about coming on the race again," Emma said, her soft voice even, but tinged with a hint of nerves. "But I've come a long way in my therapy, and I've learned several techniques to help me keep from freaking out, and I want to prove to myself that this is something that I can overcome."

Will hugged her and smiled at the camera. "That's my girl!"

"Boyfriends, Nick and Jeff, a children's author and kindergarten teacher from San Francisco, California."

"Last time, we didn't get very far," Nick said, arm around his boyfriend's shoulder. "This time I'm hoping to at least pass where we got eliminated last time."

Jeff smiled. "It'd be great to win, of course, but for us it's more about the thrill of pushing our limits!"

"Sam and Mercedes, a dating model and singer from Murfreesboro, Tennessee."

"My friends finally understand that Sam and I are a couple, despite our differences, and they've come to accept our relationship," Mercedes said, smiling at the blonde man beside her.

"They've even given me a nickname," Sam said, grinning. "They call me 'White Chocolate!'"

"Also returning this season, with new partners, are; recently married widow and widower, Burt and Carole, a mechanic and nurse from Lima, Ohio."

"Carole and I each ran the race with our kids last time, and when we met, we felt a deep connection." Burt said, holding his wife's hand. "Not being spring chickens anymore, we knew we didn't want to waste too much time, so I asked her to marry me in the next to last leg."

"I said yes, of course. It's not often you get a second chance at a Happily Ever After." Carole smiled and gave Burt a quick peck on the lips.

"Santana and Brittany, a cheerleader and mathematician from Miami, Florida."

"Hi, welcome to Fondue for Two. I'm your host, Brittany S. Pierce. Today's guests are Santana Lopez, and the strangers with the video cameras and microphones." Brittany said. The blonde girl must have thought since the camera was on, her show was on the air. "Our first topic," she continued, looking at Santana. "What do you think of the protest started by the monkeys at the Portland Zoo?"

Santana just smiled sweetly at the blonde woman. "Honey, this isn't your internet blog, this is our confessional for The Amazing Race."

"Oh. Does that mean I'm supposed to get on my knees and confess what we did at the hotel last night?"

"Finn and Rachel, recently dating student teacher and Broadway actress from Eerie, Indianna."

"I freely admit that my appearance on the last season may have given a bad impression," Rachel said looking straight into the camera with a sincere look upon her face. "I truly apologize for my behavior, and hope I can prove to you all that I'm not some selfish diva, constantly whining and making demands."

Finn smiled at her. "I promise she'll show the world the real Rachel Berry this time!"

"And Kurt and Blaine, dating long distance, a Vogue commentator and singer/songwriter, From New York, New York and Ann Arbor, Michigan."

"Winning The Amazing Race with my dad last time was a once in a lifetime experience," Kurt said. "Or so I thought, until I was offered the chance to return, this time with Blaine. You don't ever come on a competition like this and expect to meet your soulmate, but that is what happened with us!"

Blaine grinned. "The moment I saw him at the starting line, I said to myself, 'oh, there you are! I've been looking for you forever!'"

"And joining our returning racers are four all new teams. They are; Best friends and former roommates, Wes and David, a lawyer and medical intern from Grand Rapids, Michigan."

"We originally applied for the show at the same time as our friend, Blaine, but didn't get an audition until this season," Wes explained.

"We were so excited when Blaine got on the show, and now we're all running this together!" David added. "But of course, we have to beat him!" the darker man laughed.

Wes nodded and grinned. "He doesn't need to win, he got something much more valuable than money on the last race!"

"Coworkers from Iowa City, Iowa, Terri and Howard."

"I'm the assistant manager of the store, and I work long hours." Terri said, glaring at the camera. "I'm not built to be working four hours a day, three days a week! I deserve to win the million dollars so I can cut back to two hours a day, two days a week!"

Howard just looked at the camera. "I like doing inventory."

"Associates, Adam and Chandler, from Brooklyn, New York."

"I'm in this race to win back the only man I've ever really loved," Adam said in his British accent, a look of determination in his eyes. "I don't care what it takes to get him back, I'll lie, cheat and steal to win his heart again!"

"Not if I win him back first!" Chandler said, all but bouncing in his seat. "I dated him first, after all!"

"And Sue and Becky, friends from Boca Raton, Florida!"

"Yes, peasants, it is I, Sue Sylvester, six time National Cheerleading Champion Coach. I have come to liven up your miserable lives! Watch as I win this pathetic excuse for a race, because I am a winner!"

"That's right, Bitches!" Becky said, and blew her whistle.

"Which one of these teams will Win the Amazing Race? Stay tuned to find out!"

...

Kurt's eyes rose to the top of the crooked street for a moment as Phil was talking. He glanced along the group of racers and frowned. Getting to the top of this hill was going to be a workout, and there were some teams that might get slowed up behind. But no one said any part of the race was meant to be easy. He just hoped his dad would be okay. He glanced at the older man on the far left of the line up.

Nick and Jeff were on Kurt and Blaine's right and the blonde man leaned forward a little bit to whisper to them. "Stick with us and we'll get you there." Kurt could only smile at him. It was really nice of Nick and Jeff to help them out. They had home court advantage for the start of the race this time. Just like Kurt knew the best way to get to the airport in New York, they would know how to get to the San Francisco airport on public transportation.

On Phil's call to go, Blaine tugged on Kurt's hand and lead the charge up the hill. Damn, San Francisco had a right to be named the city of hills. It was known for some of the steepest hills, that you needed stairs to climb. This was a workout even for someone who was in shape. It definitely was a battle to get to the top first.

Kurt looked behind him to see there were teams already slowing down in the climb. Nick and Jeff were still even with him and Blaine though, even a little bit ahead and they were gesturing to them to come on and follow them.

The pale man could hear a dinging sound like a bell as he and Blaine approached the top. He heard Nick and Jeff calling out for something to wait as they grabbed their bags and ran across the street waving their arms.

As he and Blaine reached their own bags, he could see Nick and Jeff waving to them from a cable car. Kurt had never been on one before, but San Francisco was famous for them as well.

"Come on!" Blaine shouted to Kurt. "We can't hold them up. We can read the clue as soon as we get on." Kurt nodded and ran to catch up, as Nick and Jeff gave the two of them a hand up.

Kurt pumped a fist in the air triumphantly as the cable car set off from the stop just as Adam and Chandler reached the top of the hill. At least he wouldn't be stuck with his exes on this part of the trip. That was the last thing he wanted.

Blaine tapped Kurt on the shoulder and the pale man turned back to his boyfriend, who was crowded around one of the poles on the outer footboard of the cable car. He had the clue and when Kurt stepped a little closer, he ripped it open.

"Fly to Christchurch, New Zealand. You may only book tickets on one of these three flights," they read together.

The two of them grinned at each other. "Phil gets to go home!" Kurt shouted. And both men burst into laughter.

Some of the passengers on the cable car were just a little bit frustrated that they were crammed with four people from a production crew, which kind of made everyone have to squish in even more and Kurt heard someone say something along the lines of, "This isn't BART, so it shouldn't be used like a sardine can!" The pale man glanced to Nick and Jeff in confusion.

"BART is Bay Area Rapid Transit," Jeff supplied. "During rush hours, it's usually packed like a can of sardines. However, those trains in like, India, or those countries where they have people hired to shove people into trains, make BART look spacious."

"Probably the only train that is likely to not be as crowded during these times, is the Dublin/Pleasanton train," Nick added. "But don't worry, we're not in the rush hour period right now," he said. "Though we do need a San Francisco Airport train, which will probably have quite a few people on it."

Kurt and Blaine glanced at each other. "So we just have to take this BART straight to the airport?" Blaine asked. Nick and Jeff nodded. "How do we get there?"

Jeff grinned. "This cable car goes all the way down to Powell and Market. An entrance to the Powell St. station is right there. So really, finding your way to SFO from Lombard Street isn't that hard if you know what you're doing."

"I am so glad we made friends with you guys," Kurt said. He'd be lying if he said that he was worried about trying to get there on public transportation. He knew how to get to JFK or LaGuardia using the subway and to him, that was easy. But it appeared it wasn't too hard in San Francisco either.

Nick and Jeff smiled at them."You might want to get a clipper card, it's used for public transportation in the Bay Area in general. Sure, you'll only be using it once, but they're trying to get rid of paper tickets so it's probably smarter just to buy one anyway," he explained.

"How much is it?" Blaine asked.

"The card itself is only three dollars," Jeff said. "But then you load it with however much money you need. I usually just put twenty dollars at a time when I load mine."

For a moment, the four of them were quiet. Kurt was processing the information and thinking it would be useful should he ever come back to San Francisco, which was a possibility. After all, like New York City, it was a pro LGBT place. He could feel safe here.

As the cable car trundled down the track and came to a stop at a light, a loud burst of cheering came from their left and the four of them looked over. A group of kids and a couple of teachers were standing on some steps in front of a building grinning and screaming and cheering and laughing and Jeff waved at them.

"Those are my kindergartners," he said. "That's the school I work at."

"I love my job, and those kids mean the world to me! I love seeing the look on their faces when they finally grasp whatever it is I'm trying to teach them, and how proud they are when they accomplish something on their own for the first time. Kids really are the future. We have to give them the tools they will need to make this world a better place for them and their children!"

"That's so cute," Blaine said. "They're cheering for you. Look, they even made signs!" He pointed to one of the kids' signs that was drawn in crayon and said, 'Good luck running, Mr. Sterling!' It was one of the most adorable things the curly haired man had ever seen in his life.

The four racers waved to the kids as the light turned green and the cable car trundled away from the corner and the school.

...

Finn was standing awkwardly on the outside of the cable car, slightly hunched over. He had learned one thing in a matter of seconds. He was too tall to stand at full height on a cable car. He grumbled to himself.

"Were these things built for people that were only five feet tall or something?" he asked, thinking aloud rather than directing his question to anyone in particular.

"Actually," he heard that one Asian guy, Wes he thought his name was, say from nearby. "The cable cars have been a fixture of San Francisco for years. They were around in the early nineteen hundreds. The average height of people was a lot shorter back then."

Finn grumbled again. "They couldn't fix it to accommodate for height now?" he asked. His back was starting to ache from standing hunched over.

That was when a guy sitting on the bench behind him stood up. "Here, you can have my seat. You look like you're about to fall over and I wouldn't recommend falling off a cable car." The gentleman wrapped his hands around one of the poles and offered Finn a smile.

"Oh, thank you," Finn said, completely surprised. He took the man's seat and let out a sigh of relief. Rachel looked at him and then the man.

"I had no idea San Francisco could be so hospitable," she said. The gentleman chuckled.

"Despite the issues with homeless people and such, there are a few of us diamonds in the rough around here," he told her.

Rachel decided to take this as an opportunity. "Do you know how to get to San Francisco International Airport from here?" she asked.

"Sure," he replied. "When we get to the end of the line at Powell St, just go down into the BART station, which will be right there and catch a San Francisco Airport train. It will take you right there."

The petite brunette grinned. "Thank you so much, you've been so helpful!" She glanced over her shoulder to Wes and David. "Did you guys hear that?" she asked them. Seeing as this gentleman had been so generous to them, she was feeling like passing on some of the good will.

"We did!" David replied, nodding his head.

"Good," Rachel confirmed. This was starting out to be a good race so far. Even if she and Finn weren't in the lead.

"Will, this station is absolutely filthy!" Emma declared. Burt and Carole were just ahead of them as they entered the BART station. "Look, there's a homeless man sleeping over there," the redheaded woman said, grimacing in disapproval.

Burt chuckled a little bit. The whole prospect somehow didn't bother him. Probably because he'd seen much worse on the last race. "Trust me," he replied before Will could say anything. "With some of the stuff we might see on this race, that will seem pretty tame." It was a fair warning.

Emma's already large eyes got larger and Will put an arm around her shoulders. "It's okay Emma. Just remember your tricks and stay focused on our goals," he said.

"Right," Emma replied. "Right," she repeated.

The four of them moved into line at one of the ticket machines. Carole was glancing around the station, noting the entrance on one side to a shopping mall. "Let us hope Kurt doesn't get sidetracked by such easy access," she said with a laugh, pointing to the mall entrance.

Again, Burt chuckled. "Kurt may love shopping, but I know he's smart enough to remember his priorities," he said.

"It appears you're right," Will responded from behind them. He nodded to the gates where he had spotted Kurt and Blaine stepping onto the escalator to make their way down to the platform. "Guess we caught up with them."

Burt stepped up to the ticket machine and took out the money they'd been given for this leg of the race, checking the ticket price. "Nine dollars and sixty-five cents for a one-way ticket to the airport?" the man exclaimed. "Sheesh, why is it so much more expensive than everywhere else?"

"Maybe because it's going direct to the airport?" Carole suggested. Burt shrugged and bought two tickets, handing one to his wife.

The Hudson-Hummel couple waited for Will and Emma to get their tickets, deciding it was better to try and figure this out with four heads, rather than just two. Maybe they would see Kurt and Blaine on the platform down below. Maybe they would get on the same train as them. Burt had to admit, it was a little strange having his son as his competitor in the race this time, when the two of them had won their previous race together. But running it with Carole was already turning out to be so much fun. They had something in common here. Both having run in the previous race with their kids, who were both running in this race with a different partner.

Once Will and Emma had their tickets, the four of them made their way through the gate.

"I didn't expect San Francisco to be so busy," Emma stated.

"Well," Burt said. "Some people like to refer to it as the New York City of the west coast." He glanced back at the redheaded woman as they stepped onto the escalator. "It's the biggest tourist spot in Northern California."

"And now we have to leave so soon," Carole said with an overexaggerated sigh. But her own facade was broken by her sudden burst of laughter. "Though I do intend to one day come here again. To really experience San Francisco."

Burt nodded. "I'm pretty sure Kurt has the same idea," he said.

As they reached the platform, they heard an automated announcement. "Ten car train for San Francisco Airport now approaching platform one."

"Perfect timing," Burt chuckled and the four of them moved forward to stand behind the yellow line as the train came into the station.

"I have bad balance," Howard said as his foot slipped from the outer footboard on the cable car. "That's why I could never be a dancer." Terri rolled her eyes at her partner.

"Seriously Howard? The only reason you are on this trip with me is because I'm going through that awful divorce and I needed a new partner. Standing on a cable car is not rocket science." She crossed her arms. "I'm on my feet four hours a day, three days a week at work. You think I'm built for standing on public transportation? But you don't see me complaining."

"Actually all I see is a honey badger and a panda wailing," came another voice. Terri and Howard turned to see Sue, standing on the floorboard, without even holding on. She was just perfectly balanced there. And Becky had her hand over her mouth to keep her laughter from bubbling out.

"Excuse me?" Terri said, staring at the woman.

"Did I stutter? All I see is a honey badger and a panda wailing. And to be honest, the sound is hurting my delicate auditory canals." She pointed to her ears. Terri just stared at her for a moment.

"What do you know? You're not even supposed to be here!" she replied.

Sue smirked. "That is where you're wrong honey badger. There's only one person in this world that is supposed to be everywhere. And her name is Sue Sylvester."

Howard was glancing all around him, and Terri turned to him with her free hand on her hip. "What are you doing now Howard?" she asked.

"Trying to find the panda. But I don't see one. I can't find it. I'm not so good at seeking games."

The other three just stared at him. There was no denying that Howard Bamboo could pass for dumber than dirt. It was Sue who broke the short period of silence.

"Panda, congratulations," she said. "You make Tweedle Dumb look like a genius."

"Oh snap!" Becky said, grinning.

Howard just groaned, looking down at the street below them as though admitting his defeat. Terri rolled her eyes again. This was going to be a very long race, especially if her partner was such an idiot. It made her wonder why she had never fired him. But then she remembered if she did, she wouldn't have anyone to do things for her. Like actually work.

"Oh my Gaga! Is that who I think it is?" Kurt said as the train pulled into the airport station.

"Who?" Jeff asked from just behind him.

"The guy with the beard and the TTOW t-shirt!" Kurt pointed to the two men waiting on the platform. "It is! It's the Hippies! BJ and Tyler from season nine!"

"Wow! They are legends on the race!" Blaine exclaimed as the doors opened. "I wish we had time to stop and talk to them!"

Jeff didn't seem as worried about hurrying along, and the moment he stepped off the train, called out. "BJ! Tyler! Loved you guys on The Amazing Race! Can't stop! We're racing this year!"

The two former racers waved at them. "We saw you on the last season! Good luck, Kurt, Blaine, Nick and Jeff!"

"Oh my gosh," Nick said. "They know who we are!"

Kurt laughed giddily, but remembered they were still in a race. "Come on, let's get on that first flight!"

Nick and Jeff lead the way through some doors to the international terminal. As they approached the Air New Zealand ticket counter, Nick and Jeff slowed down and let Kurt and Blaine go ahead of them. Kurt hesitated, since the other two had helped them out, but Nick just ushered them forward.

Reluctantly, Kurt stepped forward. "Hi, we need tickets to Christchurch, New Zealand."

The lady behind the counter, who had a race flag pinned to her uniform, smiled at them. "I'll need your passports, and credit card."

He handed over the requested items, and watched as she typed away at her computer. Once the tickets were printed up, she handed everything back to them, along with a familiar yellow race envelope. "Congratulations, you are the first team on the flight. I've been instructed to give you this."

They accepted the travel documents and the envelope, and stood aside for Nick and Jeff, opening the yellow envelope as Burt and Carole and Will and Emma caught up to them.

"It's an Express Pass!" Blaine exclaimed, looking at the yellow card.

"An Express Pass allows a team to skip any one task during the race. A team must simply hand the pass to the official and they will hand them their next clue. The Express Pass Must be used by the end of the fifth leg."

"Congratulations, Boo!" Mercedes said, spotting the Express Pass the other team was holding as she and Sam reached the ticket counter. The Diva was still trying to get her legs to stop shaking from racing up that ridiculous hill. She'd been surprised that she and Sam weren't dead last, and they had just managed to hop on a cable car as it began to pull away. Santana and Brittany and Adam and Chandler had been on the same cable car with them, but Tina and Mike had just missed it. The goth girl had gotten a cramp halfway to the top of the hill.

They'd been lucky enough to be seated next to an older lady who was very familiar with the town, and had given them instructions on how to reach the airport. Adam and Chandler must not have heard, though, because they got off two streets too soon.

She and Sam had Passed Terri and Howard at the entrance to the BART station. The other team appeared to be having difficulty figuring out the ticket machine, and the woman had been berating her partner for his incompetence.

Mercedes had glanced back, intending to say something to Santana and Brittany, but the other two women seemed to have gotten lost in the crowd. They caught up with Sue and Becky on the train, but hadn't seen any of the other teams until just now.

Wes and David and Finn and Rachel were just ahead of them at the ticket counter, and Sue and Becky were just behind.

A groan went up from Rachel when it was announced the first flight was full, although the woman didn't whine like she would have the previous season. The Jewish Diva really had settled down some.

"We weren't around long enough to see everything that went down with Rachel last season," Mercedes said, arms crossed over her chest. "That was partly because she and that jerk she was with U Turned us in Portugal. But she seems to be trying to turn over a new leaf. We'll see how well that goes."

Mercedes was worried that the second flight would be full by the time she and Sam reached the front of the line, but they managed to get on the flight, along with Sue and Becky (oh joy!). The last four teams must have decided to go to the Qantas ticket counter instead, because she didn't see them at all as they went through security.

...

All twelve teams caught up in the boarding area. There was an hour before the first flight departed, and most of the teams sat together as they talked, although a few teams stayed to themselves. Kurt could feel Adam and Chandler watching him from across the concourse.

He had deliberately sat with his back to them so he wouldn't have to look at the two men, but now felt an itch between his shoulders, and had to fight the urge to move. Santana seemed to notice his discomfort.

"Don't worry about them, Porcelain. I'll make sure they stay away from you." She sent the other men a death stare. Kurt was grateful to be surrounded by so many people who had his back.

"Thanks, Satan." He smiled at her. "Just go easy on the glare. We don't want them turning to ashes. Yet." He still felt uncomfortable, and decided to take a short walk. Blaine joined him, and they went into one of the duty free shops to browse. Kurt wished he'd been allowed to bring some of his own money. There had been an absolutely fabulous blue silk scarf on display that would have been perfect with the blue and silver vest Kurt had made.

As they walked back to their gate, Kurt spotted a woman wearing a LGBTQ+ flag pin on her very expensive looking business suit, and smiled at her. She was also wearing a very lovely diamond pendant. "I like your necklace," he told her. "It really makes your eyes pop!"

She smiled back at him. "Thank you! It was a gift from my grandson and his boyfriend."

Their flight was announced, and the four teams and their camera crews handed over their boarding passes and, waving goodbye to Mercedes, Sam, Tina, Mike and the rest of their friends, took their seats. They may have left the starting line more than two hours ago, but this officially felt like the beginning of the journey to Kurt.

"All teams are now flying to Christchurch, New Zealand, on one of three flights. The first flight carries Kurt and Blaine, Nick and Jeff, Burt and Carole, and Will and Emma. The second flight has Finn and Rachel, Sue and Becky, Wes and David, and Sam and Mercedes, and is scheduled to land twenty minutes after the first. The last flight, which will land ten minutes after the second flight, carries Santana and Brittany, Tina and Mike, Adam and Chandler, and Terri and Howard.

"Once they land, they will make their way by taxi to Taylors Mistake, a popular recreation area known for its beaches and beautiful cliff views."

"I still don't get it," Finn said, drawing a growl of frustration from Wes, who had been trying to explain to the taller man about the international dateline.

"Give it up, Third Asian! Frankenteen will never understand without cave drawings!" Sue said from the row behind them on the second flight. The older woman had a sleep mask covering her eyes and earphones on, but apparently had still been listening to their conversation.

Finn frowned at the insult, but had to admit all this talk about Earth's rotation and circumnavigation just made his brain feel like mush. Rachel just smiled and patted his arm. "Don't listen to her. She's just jealous of anyone who is more talented than her, and so has to find ways of making them feel bad."

"Brilliant response Man Hands," the woman replied, not moving from her seat. "What, did you get a psychology degree in the few months you had off? Because the last time I checked, you were a small pond goldfish hanging by a metaphorical hook that was attached to your Broadway career. According to your reputation, Hades' three witches just about have that thread cut."

Wes frowned at the woman through the gap in the seats. "And just what kind of degree do you have that gives you the right to go around insulting everyone? You do know that legally speaking, each and everyone of them can sue you for defamation?"

Sue didn't seem to be phased by this either. Instead, she raised her sleep mask. "Is that so?" she asked Wes. "Well, do your worst, but might I remind you of your failed case with the guy who was clearly guilty as hell of scamming those old people and the mentally disabled, that got off scott free? At least he wasn't running for congress from prison."

Wes frowned at her. "How do you know about that? I was only an assistant on that case, and if the lead prosecutor had listened to me, that man would be in prison now."

"Ah, Third Asian, no one listens to their assistants. Ask Becky." She nodded her head to her partner. "The point is, it happened, and I know about it. So if you want to keep your clients instead of them deciding they don't want to be represented by a mediocre lawyer, I suggest you keep your mouth shut."

David put a hand on his partner's shoulder and just shook his head. "Just ignore her. She's obviously crazy."

Sam leaned over from across the aisle. "At least we don't have to worry about her popping out of nowhere like last time. She scared the crap out of me in Portugal when we were carrying that stupid fish!"

"You saw her, too?" Rachel asked. "She was at Notre Dame when I was doing that candle Roadblock."

"I saw her twice! Once on the ferry from Sochi to Batumi, and again on the train in China! And then she was at the final Pit Stop!"

"I'm everywhere," Sue said, mask and earphones once again in place. "I see, hear, and smell everything!"

The others looked at her once more, and then at each other, before they all settled back into their seats, not speaking again for a long while.

There was one thing that Kurt hadn't admitted he was still haunted by. The face of a certain smirky little meerkat. Not that he had mentioned anything at the time, but Sebastian had warned Kurt that he was not going to give up that easily, and that he had no doubt that soon, Blaine would be his and Kurt would be stuck with khakis and that gay face. It was his response to Kurt whispering about his and Blaine's adventures in the mile high club.

He had elected not to tell Blaine. The last thing he wanted was for his boyfriend to go around everywhere, constantly looking over his shoulder and expecting the meerkat to be there propositioning him. Though Kurt wasn't worried about losing Blaine. He knew there was no way that would ever happen. He had no doubt though, that Sebastian's words weren't just an empty threat. Somehow, he expected him to make good on his warning. Even though he hadn't seen the man since the finish line.

Blaine seemed oblivious to the extra tension that hung in the air. What better time to try and infiltrate them than on another race? Kurt tightened his grip on his boyfriend's hand as they ran from the gate after getting off the flight.

He didn't have to be moving slow to spot him though. Sitting at a table at one of the airport restaurants and sipping from a coffee cup. Kurt could swear it was Sebastian, and that he was staring right at them.

"Kurt?" Blaine's voice drew his attention back to the curly haired man and it was only then that he realized he'd come to a full stop. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just…" he trailed off, turning his head back to look at the Meerkat again. But the man at the table was gone, vanished without so much of a trace. It was almost as though Kurt had been expecting it so strongly, he had imagined seeing him sitting there.

"I probably should have mentioned what I saw to Blaine, but why worry him when I'm not even sure what I saw was real," Kurt confided to the camera. "I'm pretty sure it was just my imagination playing tricks on me. Between not sleeping well for months, and all the added stress I've been under, it's no wonder that I would hallucinate seeing my worst enemy."

...

"Just what?" Blaine asked, his voice laced with concern.

Kurt shook his head. "Nothing. Come on. We've got a race to run," he said, pushing the incident aside and taking off at a run once more.

They got through customs, and found a taxi, still managing to be at the head of the pack despite Kurt's distraction. "Taylors Mistake, please!" Kurt instructed the driver.

As the taxi pulled away, Kurt settled in against Blaine and closed his eyes, letting the familiar comfort drive all negative thoughts from his mind. It was no wonder he had imagined he had seen the other man. He'd been under so much stress, and hadn't been sleeping well without his boyfriend there to make him feel safe. He had slept for almost nine hours on the flight from San Francisco with Blaine at his side, but it couldn't make up for the restless nights he'd had over the last nine months.

He must have dozed off leaning against the shorter man, because the next thing he knew, they were pulling up at a seaside overlook.

"Kurt? Sweetie? We're here. There's the clue box over there!"

He blinked and looked around. "Sorry, guess I needed a little more sleep!"

Blaine just smiled and kissed his forehead as they got out of the taxi. They reached the clue box just as the other three teams from their flight pulled up.

"Roadblock! Who is ready to Take the Plunge?"

"A Roadblock is a task that only one team member may perform. In this Roadblock, one person from each team must dive from the Cliffs overlooking the sea, and swim out to retrieve a clue attached to a buoy."

"I'll do it," Kurt said, frowning slightly at the clue's wording.

"Are you sure? You're not too tired, are you?" Blaine asked, looking at him worriedly.

Kurt smiled reassuringly at him. "I'm fine. That little nap in the taxi was refreshing. I'll be okay."

After another moment of hesitation, Blaine smiled back at him and nodded. A PA led Kurt off to a changing area so he could put on a wetsuit, since the January weather was cool, even if it was summer in this region currently.

As Kurt emerged from the tent, he was surprised to see Emma just heading into the changing area, along with his stepmother and Nick. He would have bet money on Will doing this challenge.

Shrugging, he followed the PA to the area where they would be jumping from, and after getting a quick lecture from a professional cliff diver, was given the all clear to go when he was ready. He took a deep breath, glanced out to where the buoy was anchored to fix its location in his mind, and took a running start. That thrill of the freefall he'd first experienced in Australia rushed through him, and he felt his heart race, and he had to remind himself to take another breath before he hit the water.

For a moment the world seemed to tumble upside down as the water closed over his head, and pulled him under, but he refused to panic, and waited a heartbeat before pushing for the sunlight.

Once he breached the surface and took in a lungful of air, he reoriented himself, and began swimming for the bright red buoy. He grabbed the water proof sealed envelope, and began kicking for shore. From here, he could see Carole leap from the cliff's edge, and paused to watch her, making sure she was fine before dragging himself out of the surf.

He climbed back up to the overlook, where Blaine and Burt were waiting, along with Will and Jeff. The first teams from the second flight were just arriving as Kurt handed Blaine their clue.

"How was it?" his dad asked, looking over his shoulder to watch his wife as she reached the buoy and grabbed the clue.

"Thrilling! And tell Carole she's got great form on that swan dive!" He hugged his dad before dashing off to the changing room to get his clothes back on.

As he passed, he heard Nick whispering to Emma, "You'll be fine! They wouldn't let us do this if they hadn't made sure it was safe first!"

Emma nodded at him, but still didn't look convinced. "Maybe you should go in front of me…"

Kurt ducked into the changing tent then, and when he came back out a few minutes later, Emma was still standing there, as David, who had been on the second flight, took his leap.

Kurt gave her arm a squeeze and smiled reassuringly at her. "It's not as bad as you might think!"

She smiled gratefully at him, and he jogged back over to Blaine. As they ripped open their clue, they heard Emma make a little scream, and then a nervous giggle as she went over the cliff. They all rushed to the edge to watch the redheaded woman, who came up out of the water, laughing. They all cheered for her, even the camera crews, and she waved up at them before swimming towards the buoy.

They shook Will's hand before they remembered they hadn't read their clue yet.

"Find the Marked cars and drive yourselves to Middle Rock Sheep Station, and search for your next clue!"

Will was waiting at the top of the overlook as Emma made her way back up, wrapping her in a big hug. "I'm so proud of you, sweetheart!"

Emma was still giddy with laughter at her accomplishment, the adrenaline coursing through her making her feel like she could do anything. "Kurt was right! It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be! It was actually fun! I want to do it again!"

"It really was exhilarating! Even better than the zip line from last season! I can't believe I've let my insecurities keep me from enjoying so many things!" Emma smiled excitedly at the camera.

Will hugged her. "The kids back at school are never going to believe you did that!"

She laughed. "I still can't believe it myself!"

...

Will laughed and hugged her once more, kissing her cheek. "That's my girl! But right now we have more racing to do! Go get changed and let's show these kids how it's done!"

The redhead kissed him back, and then jogged over to the changing tent.

"Looks like Bambi is finally growing some sea legs," Sue muttered.

Will just rolled his eyes and ignored the woman, deciding to think of it as a somewhat backhanded compliment. As he waited for his fiance to finish changing, Sam, Finn and Becky all took the leap over the cliff, and the four teams from the third flight began to arrive.

"But I never learned to swim," Howard muttered.

Terri put her hands on her hips and glared at her partner. "Howard, if you don't know how to swim, you can't be on The Amazing Race," she quipped. "Besides, do you know what kind of damage that water will do to my hair?" The woman stroked her hair several times, still glaring at Howard.

The man sighed. "What if there are sharks?"

"Oh please Howard, don't be stupid. They wouldn't make us jump into shark infested waters. Now hurry up. I'm not getting any younger."

Howard finally wandered off toward the tent muttering something about why the task couldn't deal with counting inventory.

Terri grimaced at the camera. "Honestly, I don't know why people always want me to do everything for them! I mean, people come into the store, and ask me where to find things, and expect me to actually show them, instead of looking for themselves. I'm an assistant manager. Do I look like it's my job to wait on you?

"All I asked of Howard was for him to jump off one little cliff! You'd think I asked him to do something hard, or scary!"

...

The assistant manager stood impatiently, hands on her hips, foot tapping on the ground as she waited for her partner to return. Santana, Mike and Chandler had all gotten changed quickly, but Howard still hadn't emerged from the tent by the time the other three had made their jumps. They were the only ones left by the time he came out, not wearing the wetsuit.

"I couldn't get it on," he said. "So I am just going to jump in my clothes. I'll probably drown from the weight pulling me under."

Terri just rolled her eyes. "Well, get on with it, then! We're in last place! If you hurry up, they can drag your body back to shore with the clue, and maybe I can catch up!"

As they parked on the country lane, Kurt frowned at the smell coming from the barn with the race flag hanging from the door. The clue box stood beside the open entryway. "Ugh! I hope whatever this task entails doesn't include cleaning out those stalls!"

Blaine just laughed at him as he opened the clue.

"Each team member must shear a sheep to receive your next clue!"

Kurt's frown deepened. "Oh, great, that's even worse!"

As they watched the demonstration, Burt and Carole arrived. One team mate would hold the sheep, as the other sheared, and then they would switch.

Kurt tentatively approached the first sheep, and attempted to wrap his arms around its neck like the handler in the demonstration had done, but the animal just shook him off, almost causing him to fall face first into the muck, but fortunately he managed to catch himself before he could ruin his outfit.

"Easy there, kiddo," Burt said, laughing at his son. "If you let the sheep know you are nervous, they are going to walk all over you!"

Kurt threw his dad one of his famous bitch glares. "When did you live on a farm?" he asked, wondering how his dad could suddenly be an expert in handling sheep.

Burt laughed again. "I was in 4H in high school. I've sheared a few sheep in my day." As if to prove his point, the elder Hummel walked over to one of the sheep and quickly caught it around the neck, securing it as Carole approached with the clippers.

Kurt grumbled, not really liking being upstaged by his dad. "Don't tell me you expect animals for dowry now."

The pale man thought he heard Blaine mutter something along the lines of, "I hope not, I don't have six lambs and a fatted calf."

Looking over at his boyfriend, Kurt blinked. He'd only been kidding about the dowry. "Good thing we don't live in a third world country where that kind of thing is expected," he said, just in case he'd heard what he thought he did, but deciding not to question Blaine about it.

Carole finished shearing the first sheep as Kurt finally managed to secure one of the fluffy animals. Blaine had just started shearing when Nick and Jeff and Wes and David arrived.

"You boys gotta work faster," Burt said as he began shearing the sheep Carole had pinned.

Kurt opened his mouth to reply, but quickly shut it because the first thing that popped into his mind was something highly inappropriate, and he wasn't exactly interested in saying it, especially now that they had an audience.

Blaine glanced at Kurt for a moment as he continued to shear the sheep. He had a response for Burt though. "We don't want to risk nicking the animal. How fast is too fast?" he asked.

Kurt could tell his dad had a retort on the tip of his tongue, but the older male must have thought better of it as well. It was one thing for he and his dad to make sex jokes when they were alone, but it seemed inappropriate in mixed company.

Clearly, this conversation had started to head into forbidden territory, for lack of a better word. Not to mention, ever since the incident in the dressing room, Kurt had been thinking twice about whatever sex joke he cracked with his dad.

Burt finished shearing his sheep, and received their clue, while Blaine still hadn't finished shearing their first sheep.

They'd been so distracted, they hadn't realized Nick and Jeff had finished their first sheep and were starting on their second, and Wes and David weren't far behind them. Will and Emma and Sam and Mercedes had also arrived and were working on their first sheep.

Deciding to return focus to their own task, Kurt and Blaine failed to notice Nick and Jeff exchange nods with the other teams that were there and everyone slowed down a tad, but not so much that they wouldn't still be a challenge. The two San Francisco natives still managed to finish before Kurt and Blaine, as did Wes and David, but not by much, and all three teams were soon following Burt and Carole.

"Travel on foot to the marked gate and search for your next clue!"

Will watched the others go as Emma hesitantly worked on shearing the sheep. The elfin woman had used one of her self hypnosis techniques to calm herself enough to be able to get close to the animal.

Once the other teams were out of earshot, Will glanced over at Mercedes. "Did you get it?"

The dark skinned woman nodded. "Marley has it. She'll hold on to it until it's time."

Will smiled. "This is going to be very interesting to see this play out. I just hope Emma and I aren't the first ones eliminated this time."

Mercedes laughed. "Or second."

They finished their tasks as several more teams arrived, and received their clues.

The six young men found the marked gate and immediately found the clue box. Nick and Jeff were the first to open their envelopes.

"Detour! Herd or Heard?"

"A Detour is a choice between two tasks, each with its own pros and cons. In this Detour, teams must choose between two tasks common among the sheepherders in this region.

"In Herd, teams must choose a champion sheepherding dog to assist them in culling ten marked sheep from the herd of five hundred and into a pen. There are only one hundred and twenty marked sheep in the herd. Once they have their ten sheep secured, they will receive their next clue. The task may seem difficult, but the dogs have been trained for this type of work, and will work on instinct.

"In Heard, teams must learn a series of whistles, calls, and gestures used to train sheepherding dogs. Once they have memorized the commands, they must guide a young dog through an obstacle course to receive their next clue. The task may be simple, and the dogs are already trained to follow each cue, but it is up to the teams to remember the correct commands."

"I think we should herd the sheep," Kurt said. "I've seen these dogs work, and I'm pretty sure we can finish it quickly." Nick and Jeff had also decided to take the herding task

Wes shrugged. "I've actually trained dogs before, so I think we're going to do Heard." He glanced at David to see what he thought. The darker man just shrugged.

The three teams wished each other luck, and headed to their respective tasks. As they reached the field with the large herd, Kurt spotted his dad and Carole working together, and noticed the older couple already had more than half their sheep penned.

They made their way over to where some young children in ranch clothes were standing with their champion dogs. Kurt smiled at a small boy with dark blonde hair in a blue shirt and khaki shorts. "Aww, look, it's baby Phil!" he exclaimed, and asked the boy what his dog's name was.

"This is Kallie," the boy said, proudly.

Blaine smiled and bent down to greet the dog. "Well, Kallie, think you can help us wrangle some sheep?"

They led the beautiful black and white border collie into the field, and worked as quickly as they could to pen the animals. Kurt saw Burt and Carole receive their clue, and head off at a run. While he was happy that his dad and Carole were doing well so far, it did kind of feel strange to see the man with a different partner, and to have them be in front of him.

He glanced to the curly haired man beside him, who was trying to push the pen gate closed to prevent any of the four sheep they already had from escaping. He tried to imagine having his dad with him this time, but the image just wouldn't form. This was the man he was supposed to be with. He smiled, and returned to the task at hand.

"Yeah, it is kind of strange competing against my dad this time," Kurt said, a thoughtful expression on his face. "But at the same time, it gives me a new appreciation for him and his skills. I never knew my dad could shear sheep! I guess I still have a lot to learn from him."

...

Nick and Jeff finished and received their clue just ask Kurt and Blaine managed to pen their ninth sheep. By now a few other teams had reached the herding field as well, and Kurt managed to shut the gate on their final sheep as Santana and Brittany penned their third animal. Kurt noticed that the blonde woman seemed to have a way with the animals, and they practically followed her into the pen. They had more trouble keeping the unmarked sheep out than keeping the marked ones in.

He didn't really have time to appreciate the girl's gifted nature as he opened the clue.

"Drive yourselves to the Pit Stop, Phil's Family's Ranch! The last team to check in may be eliminated! "

"Awesome!" Blaine exclaimed, "we get to see where Phil grew up!"

Phil was chatting with the very intriguing young trans woman who would be the greeter on this leg of the race when Marley signaled them that the first teams were approaching. While he hadn't actually been the one to hire the greeters this season after all, he had insisted on meeting each and every one of them before the race started, and felt that this season would be smoother than the previous race had been.

"It's been good talking with you, Unique," Phil said as they took their marks at the mat. "You are much more sane than some of the greeters we had last season."

The dark skinned woman laughed. "That woman in the grey suit who ranted about wasting money and how the racers should get a real job was hilarious!"

Phil just smiled. "She was one of the tamer ones."

Before either of them could say more, Burt and Carole came into view. Unique smiled as the older couple reached the mat. "Oh honeychild, don't you two look devine! Welcome to the fabulous New Zealand, where you can now spend time with the fabulous Unique."

Phil smiled at them. "Burt and Carole, you are team number one! How does it feel to be back on the race?"

"It's not called the Amazing Race for nothing, Phil," Burt said.

Phill laughed. "Not only are you both back, with new partners, but you are the oldest team on the race this time around, and here you are coming in first! That has got to feel like an accomplishment."

"It does," Carole replied, grinning. "Even if this is the only leg we win, it's making a statement to other older couples out there that they can do it, too!"

"Well, as the winners of this leg of the race, you have won a trip for two to Tokyo, Japan, which you can enjoy after the race!"

It wasn't long until the next team arrived.

"Wes and David, you are team number two!"

"Kurt and Blaine, you are team number three!"

"Santana and Brittany, you are team number four!"

Jeff sighed as they reached the mat, looking kind of sheepish (no pun intended). "We missed our exit!"

Nick smiled. "It could have been worse. We only had to drive five minutes out of the way."

"Oh sweetie, in some cases, it pays to be fashionably late," Unique said, smiling at the adorable couple.

"Nick and Jeff, you are team number five!"

"Great job, Honey!" Mike called out to his wife. Tina's training as a veterinarian student was coming in handy as she calmly shooed the sheep into the pen as their dog weaned them from the herd. Even as he praised the goth woman, he kept an eye on the other team at the task, Adam and Chandler.

Those two men were going to cause problems, he could tell, and that would upset Tina, and he hated it when Tina was upset. He would have to keep an eye on them to make sure they didn't ruin everything.

Maybe he could make sure they got eliminated sooner. He thought about 'accidentally' freeing the sheep in their pen, but thought better of it when he realized he and Tina could be penalized for interfering with the other team.

Sighing, he resigned himself to just observing for now. But if those two even sneezed in Kurt and Blaine's direction, Mike wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice their chances to finish the race in order to take them out with him.

"Sue and Becky, you are team number six!"

"Tina and Mike, you are team number seven!"

"Will and Emma, you are team number eight!"

"Come on Howard, memorizing commands is not rocket science! You memorize the commands I give you at work all the time!" Terri shouted to her partner. She stood idly by, studying her nails.

"I don't think I can do it," Howard drawled. "I'm not built for animal training. Plus, these wet clothes are making me itch! Why couldn't I change my clothes after the cliff dive?"

Terri rolled her eyes. "Because you were slow enough deciding you couldn't fit the wetsuit! And we were already in last!" she screamed, taking a moment to remember herself. "And you're not built for folding sheets either," she bit out, placing her hands on her hips now.

"I'm supposed to be doing inventory," Howard replied. He attempted to blow the whistle he'd been given, but didn't really have enough power. "Can't you help me, Terri? Show me how to do it."

Again, the woman rolled her eyes. "Oh honestly, Howard, do I really have to do everything for you?" Clearly, she was not amused as she stepped forward. "Give me that!" She snatched a leading device from Howard's hand and huffed a sigh. "I'm not meant for manual labor."

"Adam and Chandler, you are team number nine!"

"Finn and Rachel, you are team number ten!"

"Sam and Mercedes, You are team number eleven!"

Phil could hear the final team coming from a mile away, it seemed. The woman's voice was strident and annoying. He felt sorry for her partner, who seemed incapable of standing up to her.

"Woo, something tells me she thought this race would be a cake walk," Unique mentioned to Phil, a small frown on her face. She recovered by the time the team made it to the mat. "Welcome to the fabulous New Zealand, for fabulous people!"

"Thank you," Terri said, tone lightening. "I am fabulous, aren't I?"

Phil almost choked holding his tongue on that response, and moved on to the business at hand. "Terri and Howard, you are the last team to arrive, and you have both been eliminated from the race."

Terri hit Howard over the head. "You good for nothing! Can't you do anything right?! Now see? You got us eliminated!"

Howard cowered a little bit from her. "I didn't want to be on the race. It was never my dream. I'm supposed to be doing inventory."

Phil couldn't actually say he was sad to see them go, although he did feel sorry for Howard, and wondered whether to arrange an intervention for him. They might only be coworkers, but that was definitely an abusive relationship. He definitely wouldn't be inviting Terri back though. It was clear to him she believed her partner should do all the work while she sat back and sucked up all the glory. If she really thought running the race was that easy, she should never have come on it in the first place.