A/N Okay, here we go. The next chapter is complete, as well. It was written right after I posted my first chapter of this story. I knew then how things were going to go. I just had to get there. It is heading the way it is supposed to, I promise. Thanks for sticking in there with me. And thanks for the reviews.

oOoOo

Chapter 9 Heading Home

Over the next two weeks, they spend their days outside exploring London, and their nights exploring each other. After four days of being married, Bryce had finally told Blaine he didn't really like intercourse.

"I love everything else we do, but not that. I am so sorry Blaine, I tried to like it, but I don't, " he looked up like he was expecting Blaine to be mad.

"Don't be sorry sweetheart, I wish you had said something before, there are always other things we can do.

The next night Blaine had bottomed for the first time, hoping that Bryce would like it better. Since Blaine was his first experience, they needed to see what his preference was anyway. Bryce was fantastic, and Blaine decided he could definitely deal with it. Was it his favorite, no, but he had to do what Bryce liked as well if they were going to make this work.

Bryce didn't like that either. So Blaine settles into life with what they had always done, that would be enough. Maybe later they could try again.

They finally got the notification that Sere's passport was ready, and they were both ready to go home. Blaine learns quickly how much his life has changed when they land at LAX, walk to get their luggage, and go through customs. Before he even realizes what is going on, there's flashes going off, paparazzi in his face asking questions.

"Is it true you got married, were you on your honeymoon?"

"Did you adopt a child already?"

"What's her name?"

"Are you going to be staying on the show now that you are married?"

With everything that had been going on, getting married, and getting Sere, he had forgotten that the night before they left the country, their pilot had aired, and two more episodes had been shown while they were gone. Blaine and Bryce just keep walking, not saying anything, not answering any questions.

Blaine hands Sere to Bryce and walks over to get their luggage off of the carousel. He grabs the car seat they had bought the day before flying out, knowing they would need one for his car, on the way home. He quickly puts everything on a suitcase trolley and starts heading toward the front door.

"Well, that was different," Blaine said as he started the car and heads towards Bryce's apartment. As soon as they saw all the cameras, they quickly decided they needed to stay at Bryce's until they could find a bigger place. His apartment building had a doorman and a service desk where you had to check in to be allowed in the elevator.

Blaine hadn't really been happy with the idea of moving into Bryce's apartment, having flashbacks of past experiences, but he knows it is the best place for them to be. It was up to them to keep Sere safe.

The next day they head to Westerville, so Bryce and Sere could meet his parents, and so Bryce could sign the forms to start the adoption process. Blaine's parents fall in love with Sere, and they seem to like Bryce okay, even though they really didn't speak to him that much.

They spend a few days there and then are heading back to California so that Bryce's family can meet Blaine and Sere. Before they leave, Blaine pulls a box out of his nightstand and hides it in his suitcase. He decided he wanted to put it in the box he had his scrapbook in at home. He wanted it with him again.

When they get to Bryce's parent's house, Blaine takes an instant dislike to both of them. They seem so judgmental, making little comments about Bryce that sets him off. He can already tell they will not be spending much time with them. He didn't like the comments they made about Sere, either.

They were finally able to find a bigger apartment, one with security like Bryce's, close to Cooper's. The first thing Blaine did when they moved in was to set up the nursery. He put everything together himself, he painted the walls and placed little pictures around, making it a happy place for his little girl to grow up.

Because yes, she was his little girl, they had gone to court the day before, and everything was filed, and Serene Elizabeth Mitchell officially became Serene Elizabeth Mitchell-Anderson. Blaine was on cloud nine. He had the perfect daughter, the perfect husband, the perfect life.

oOoOo

They had been home almost a month when they got the notification that the show wasn't going to be picked up for the rest of the season, they would air the shows that had been filmed and then it would be over.

Blaine was surprised when he got a call from his manager asking him if he wanted a small part in a movie they would start shooting the next week. The director had asked for Blaine specifically. Blaine said yes and started on the film, which leads to him doing tons of commercials.

Bryce was soon offered a job that would take him away from home for two weeks. They talked before he left. They decided that since they had Sere, they would make sure that if one of them were on a shoot somewhere, the other person would keep their commitments local. That way, Sere always had someone with her.

Blaine and Bryce started having problems shortly after that. Their first month together had been wonderful. They spent a lot of time talking, cuddling on the couch, spending time together with Sere as a family, settling into their relationship.

Blaine was happy just being able to hold him, did he miss some things in their relationship, yes, but the relationship was the most important thing, and he wanted Bryce to be happy. They did enough to keep him satisfied, and since they lived together they were able to be intimate more often which helped as well

Once Bryce got his first movie, things went downhill from there. They weren't spending much time together, and the time they were together was spent mostly arguing. Bryce never helped out with Sere, even when he was home, Blaine still did everything. Bryce would come home for a day or two and then would be heading back out again, almost like he couldn't wait to be away from them.

They argued about the time that Bryce spent away from home, and how when he was there, he didn't stay for long. Their relationship was pretty much nonexistent, which Blaine couldn't really figure out why, but he knew he was getting tired of it and something needed to be settled between them soon

They had a really heated discussion when they were both nominated for a people's choice award for their work on South of Always. Bryce just assumed that Blaine would refuse the nomination now that they were married, and Blaine refused to, he had earned that nomination just as much as Bryce had.

He screamed at Blaine, asking what kind of a husband did that, and Blaine just looked at him in a calm voice and asked what kind of husband would ask. Bryce had stormed out the door, slamming it behind him, of course, waking up the baby Blaine had just gotten to sleep.

Blaine was asked if he would perform for the awards show, and he agreed, figuring Bryce would win, and that way he could show his support the way he always said he would, even though he knew they were falling apart. Bryce was always gone, never stayed at home, which led to more and more arguments, and discussions and fights.

Blaine was the one always staying home with Sere. When Bryce was there half the time, he paid no attention to her at all and not much more time with Blaine. He pulled further and further away, and Blaine couldn't understand why. They used to get along perfectly and now…

On the night of the awards show, Blaine went into his room, went into his closet and pulled down the box that he kept all the stuff from high school. He pulled out the bracelet that he had placed in there right after he got married. He never thought he would wear it again, but like Kurt's ring, it meant something to him, it stood for something, it was important, it gave him comfort.

So tonight, on one of the most important nights of his life, Blaine grabbed out his bracelet and put it on for the first time in over a year. He needed it, needed to wear it again.

Bryce was supposed to be flying into town just in time for the show and then would be flying right back out again, which caused another big fight for them.

When Blaine stepped out of his limousine, he sees Bryce was already there. He hadn't called to say when he would be in. Bryce hadn't called to say he was in town and hadn't come home. He also hadn't waited for Blaine. He walked the red carpet alone. Blaine decided two could play that game, so he decided to piss him off a little and not automatically go over to him.

Blaine stood on the red carpet and talked to the reporters on his own, smiling at the cameras, laughing at the comments, not saying anything when a reporter flat out flirted with him. The guy was cute. He stood there, talking to him for five minutes. Blaine didn't walk over to his husband or even acknowledge him at all. Of course, that got the reporters talking, was there trouble in paradise? If only they knew.

Bryce looked up and saw the reporter flirting with Blaine and quickly walked up to him with a smile on his face, Blaine saw the look of almost hate in his eyes, he was trying to hide. Whether or not that look was for the reporter or Blaine he didn't know, it took everything he had not to laugh. Looking the reporter in the eyes, Bryce leans in and kisses Blaine on the cheek and then linked their arms together like they were the happiest couple in the world, almost rubbing it in the guy's face that Blaine was his.

They walked into the auditorium and took their seats, holding hands, playing it up for the cameras. Blaine was soon motioned to the back so he could go and perform. He kissed Bryce on the cheek as he walked by with a smile on his face.

He was so looking forward to this performance, he'd been practicing it all week and was so ready. When he got backstage, he quickly changed out of his tux and slipped on a white short-sleeve button-down shirt wanting to make sure his arm was showing. He replaced his bow tie with a straight tie with blue and red stripes and his tux pants for a pair of smoky gray ones.

He walks on stage, gives the audience a big smile, then walks up to the piano and starts playing the music he had picked out, not needing the sheet music that had been left for him, this one he knew by heart.

Before you met me

I was alright

But things were kinda heavy

You brought me to life

Now every February

You'll be my valentine, valentine

Blaine looked at the camera, smiling his first real smile in a month. He was singing this song for someone special. This song had always been special to him. After he'd sung it at Call Backs he hadn't allowed himself to sing it again, feeling like it had been ruined forever, but tonight Blaine knew, nothing was ruined unless you let it be, nothing was over forever until death, and he felt more alive tonight than he had in a long time.

He had had a long talk with Cooper today about his marriage and things going on. Things were going to change one way or the other. He refused to keep living the way they had been.

He stepped away from the piano, someone else sat down, the curtains opened, and he was joined by 12 more men all in Navy blazers with red piping, and a red and blue striped tie, he quickly put on the blazer he was being handed, got into formation and sang the next part of the song looking straight into the camera, making the same gestures, and facial expressions he had made so very long ago

I'ma get your heart racing

In my skin-tight jeans

Be your teenage dream tonight

Let you put your hands on me

In my skin-tight jeans

Be your teenage dream tonight

When he finished his song, he turned to his friends and hugged them one at a time thanking them for helping him out, hearing the cheers and claps from the audience. Blaine stood there with them laughing, happier than he has been in a very long time.

He walks up to the mic, standing in front of him, takes off his jacket, and holds the mic with his left hand. The arm that had the bracelet on it, "That's for you Nemo, hope you liked it," he said with a wink, knowing Kurt always watched the people's choice awards, he never missed it. He loved talking about what and who everyone was wearing.

Blaine then walked off stage and spent a few minutes with his friends before he was told he needed to take his seat that the next award was going to be presented. "I'll catch up with you guys when we're done here, I need you to meet my daughter," he said with a proud smile on his face.

When he got back to his seat, Bryce was pissed. "What the hell Blaine, who the fuck is Nemo?" Bryce almost spat at him

Blaine reached out his hand and held Bryce's chin. "Oh, sweetheart, you don't even need to worry about that," Blaine answered in a sarcastic tone, but with a smile on his face. For anyone watching, it would have looked like a loving moment between them.

"Welcome to the 44th annual People's Choice Awards tonight. We want to thank Blaine Anderson and the Dalton Academy Warblers for starting our show off tonight.

"For the first award of the night, it is Best Male Lead in a film or TV series. The nominees are Brad Walters for Cry a Little Deeper, Blaine Anderson for South of Always, and Bryce Mitchell also for South of always. Ouch, I would love to be a fly on the wall in their house tonight, " he joked, and the whole audience laughed. Blaine and Bryce included.

"And the award goes to…. Blaine Anderson for South of Always," the presenter yelled. Blaine smiled, standing up, noticing that his "husband" half-assed clapped for him.

Blaine went up on stage and was handed his first award. "Wow, I wasn't expecting this, I so thought it was going to go completely different, " he heard several laughs and saw the camera as it panned over to Bryce, who grinned really big, his grin almost looking real

"Umm, first, I would like to thank my parents for always loving me for being there for me always. For my big brother Cooper Drew who got me into this crazy business, also even though she is asleep and wouldn't know what I was saying even if she wasn't, to my beautiful Sere, my life was completed the day you entered it, daddy loves you. To my friends who have always been there for me and Nemo, you know who you are. Thanks, " he said with a smile, holding up his award and then walked off stage. He didn't mention Bryce at all and didn't care how it looked.

He was at a point where he was so mad he could care less. Their relationship, if it could even be called that, was crumbling, and he was tired of being the only one that seemed to care, from now on he was going to work on being happy again, he hoped that was with Bryce.

"We'll talk about this when we get home, " he heard Bryce whisper beside him as soon as he sat back down.

"Oh… you're coming home?" Blaine said, looking at him, shocked, not caring that he was making Bryce madder, he could care less at this point.

"Don't be such a smart ass, Blaine," Bryce said, turning away from him.

Blaine paid attention to the announcer and was shocked when he heard his name being called again. He knew he had been put in for the one award but not two. "For lead male role in a new series once again Blaine Anderson," Blaine was in shock. When he walked on stage, he didn't know what to say.

"Wow, okay, Umm, I want to thank my manager for agreeing to sign me after knowing me for all of five minutes so I could sign a contract to work on this show with such a wonderful group of people. For Jack Martin our producer who never got upset when I flubbed a line once or ten times, " he said laughing looking at Jack

"Thank you to NYADA's Carmen Tibideaux, for allowing me to go to such a wonderful school and learn so much. I know I wasn't there long, but you took a chance on a boy from Westerville, Ohio. Thank you." Blaine said, walking off stage, once again not mentioning Bryce.

When he walked off stage, he saw Wes and David standing there waiting on him with a worried look on their faces. "Blaine, you know we love you, but what the hell are you doing? That's twice you purposely didn't mention your husband's name," Wes said looking at him concerned

"I know, I know, listen, Bryce and I are going to have a talk tonight. Can you guys come to my apartment tomorrow, and I can fill you in. I could really use your advice." Blaine said and meant it. Out of all his friends he had David and Wes were the two he trusted the most. He could listen to them

oOoOo

When Blaine and Bryce walked into the apartment, Blaine quickly went and checked on Sere, paid the babysitter, walked her to the door, thanked her, and then walked into the living room. Bryce was in their pacing, looking completely pissed off. Blaine just stood there, head tipped sideways, watching him.

"Do you realize how stupid you made me look tonight? You thanked everyone but your husband, what the fuck Blaine," Bryce said, raising his voice, it took everything Blaine had not to laugh at the way he was acting.

"It's funny how I have a husband when it is convenient for you," Blaine said, still not raising his voice.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Blaine, seriously?" Bryce yelled.

"Well, it would seem to me that husbands spend time together, husbands talked on the phone, husbands let their husband know they are home, wait for them before walking the red carpet," Blaine fired back, attempting to keep his temper in check. He had made Bryce a promise, and he was doing his best to keep it.

"So, because I showed up at the awards without you, that gave you the right to turn me into a laughing stock. I have to work with those people, Blaine. And what the hell were you doing letting that reporter flirt with you and not say a damn thing? You just stood there and grinned like an idiot," Bryce said, turning his back and started pacing again.

Blaine just grinned at this, making Bryce more upset, and Blaine just wanted to laugh, wondering how much longer he was going to put up with this, he was honestly over it. "I didn't let him flirt with me. I showed up at an event alone. I had people asking me questions, doing interviews with me. If my husband had been there where he should have been, the guy probably wouldn't have flirted, so how is it my fault, Bryce?" Blaine asked once again, not even raising his voice.

"Forgive me for not waiting for you, for not holding your little hand," Bryce continued.

"And forgive me because someone else decided I was worthy of flirty with, spending time with, talking too, I remember a time when my husband thought that," Blaine said, now getting mad but still not raising his voice.

"You know what Blaine? I'm tired. I'm tired of dealing with this, tired of dealing with you. I should have just gotten on a plane and headed back to the set instead of wasting time here with you," Bryce said, finally stopping his pacing and balled up his fist, looking at Blaine with anger.

"What happened, Bryce? I don't understand. We were doing good, we were a family, and then you just started pulling away. Talk to me, sweetheart. Help me understand any part of this. If I've done something wrong, if I haven't done something I should have, tell me, talk to me, so we can see if we can fix this," Blaine said no longer mad, but feeling hurt. They had been fine one day sitting on the couch holding each other, being a family, and then overnight it was over.

Bryce just looks at him, knowing that this was all his fault, because yes, he was pulling away, he was regretting some of the decisions he'd made, things he'd done, and it was easier to take it out on Blaine than to take the blame for it. So instead, he argues, he causes fights anything he can to push Blaine away.

"I need to go, my flight leaves in an hour, and I am due back on set in the morning. When this is over, I'll come home, and we can talk okay, work on us," Bryce said before hugging Blaine for the first time in weeks, and then he is turning around and walking out the door.

When Wes and David came over the next morning, they talked for hours, Blaine telling them how things started out, and how he still didn't understand what happened, what had changed Bryce from the sweet person he had met to the one he was now married to. It was almost like he changed overnight like he was a different person.

oOoOo

When Bryce's movie wrapped, he came home. He had been gone for a month and hadn't called Blaine once, not even to check on Sere, and every time Blaine called him, he was always too busy learning his lines, rehearsing, filming. When Bryce came home, the promised talk never happened. Blaine kept trying. He finally went to bed at midnight, giving up. Blaine was so over this whole thing. He wasn't going to beg Bryce to talk. If he didn't want this anymore, he needed to say it and be done with it.

They had a major fight right before Bryce left for his next job, they hadn't seen each other in a month, and he was home for only one day and was leaving out again for Morocco. Blaine had finally had enough and told him. They had argued before, but Blaine had kept his promise he had made to Bryce when they first started dating. He would never raise his voice to him in anger again, and he hadn't.

This time he did, Bryce had started cursing and screaming in front of Sere, and Blaine had gone off. He hadn't spent more than twenty-four hours at a time with his husband in three of the four months they had been married. They had also not been intimate in the last two months, and the last time had only happened because Blaine had gotten tired of waiting for Bryce to come home, so he had booked a ticket for him and Sere to go to him.

Blaine was over it and went off. He had picked up Sere, carried her into her room, put her in her crib, before going back to confront Bryce, telling him he needed to stay home, to pass up on this job, and he refused.

"Bryce come on, you just got home last night, you have been home less than twenty-four hours, you haven't said more than ten words to Sere or me since you got here," Blaine said getting frustrated.

"Blaine, I have a job to do, we can't all be trust fund babies who play at acting because they don't really have to worry about ever working. I have to work, I don't have that luxury," Bryce said once again raising his voice.

"Play at acting, "Play at acting." Who has two screen actors guild awards? Who has a teen choice award? All sitting in that awards cabinet right next to yours, other people don't seem to think I'm "playing at acting," and I would be able to do more if you weren't leaving all the time jetting here and there instead of staying home with your child and your husband," Blaine said his voice rising even more.

"You know what I mean, Blaine. You don't have to work. You don't have to go from show to show, movie to movie to make sure you have enough money to pay your bills. You just had it handed to you. I do have to work. And as far as my child goes you're the one that wanted her"

"I'm the one that wanted her. I'm the one that wanted her "Me." Blaine looked at him like he had just lost his mind "No I'm the person who woke up at 1 am and got on a plane with you to fly to London., I'm the one who was there to offer you support when your best friend died. I'm the one who stepped in to help you with a child you had no idea what to do with. She is your biological child. Yes, I wanted her, but I thought that you wanted her too. You acted like you wanted her."

"Damn it, Blaine. I did want her, I do want her," Bryce said, sitting down with a sigh looking almost defeated.

"Then stay with us, pass on this job, as you said, I'm a trust fund baby who will never have to work. I have every penny of my earnings from "South of Always" I can take care of you and Sere, you can take a break. You've been working nonstop since you were fourteen," Blaine said, sitting down beside him, rubbing his hand up and down Bryce's back, enjoying him being close again. He did miss him when he was gone even though this wasn't some great big love for Blaine, he did care and miss him.

"Blaine, I can't just sit back and not do anything, let you pay for everything. I've been working like you said most of my life. I've built a career, I have a fan base that is waiting for this next movie," Bryce said looking at him

"What about your fan base in this house, Bryce? Your husband and your daughter? We miss you when you're gone. When was the last time you were here to read Sere a book before she went to bed, give her a bath, or just snuggled with her? When was the last time we got to spend some time together as a couple, go out on a date, snuggle on the couch, talk about our day, or even be intimate? Do you know how long it has been? It's been two months, Bryce," Blaine said, looking at him?

"That is all you think about Blaine is sex. All we talk about is sex," Bryce yelled again, jumping up.

"No Bryce, it isn't. We never talk about sex. I was just making a statement. If sex was all that was important, I would have initiated it last night instead of trying to talk to you. If sex was all it was about, I could get that anywhere. I want my husband. I want you home," Blaine said, standing up too, looking at him, shocked because it was true, they never talked about sex because to Blaine, that wasn't all his relationship was about.

Yes, he loved it when they were able to be intimate, and he did miss it, but he missed the companionship more. He missed having his husband there, being able to roll over and snuggle behind him at night or feel Bryce snuggled behind him. If it was all about sex, he could take care of those things on his own. Blaine almost smiled when he remembered back to when he was in high school, and he had been in his room with Kurt how he had told him, "that's why they invented masturbation."

Things had been so much easier back then. Life was better. He so missed that, what they had together, created together, wishing for more than the hundredth time things could have been different. But mistakes had been made on both sides, and decisions had been made based on those mistakes.

He should never have had that thought, because now Kurt was in his thoughts again, not that he was really ever out of them, especially at night when Blaine was in bed alone, and he would lay there and think about the past, their time together, how close they had been. Blaine was married to Bryce, and it was still nowhere near as close as the connection he had, had with Kurt.

He thought of Kurt at night a lot, when he just wanted to find him and just hold him, kiss him, talk to him, he so missed just being able to pick up the phone and have a conversation with him. He still missed him so much. He missed his best friend and the closeness they had always had.

Eight months ago yesterday, they had broken up, and here he was a husband to someone else and a father, but Kurt was forever on his mind, always right there on the edge. He had lost count of how many times he had woken up alone in his bed hard and hurting because of a dream he'd had about Kurt, wondering, once again when he would stop thinking about him, loving him, and wanting him back so desperately, but he was married to Bryce. A decision he regretted daily, but a decision he had made on his own.

He would love to be able to look into those blue eyes again and then lean in and kiss him the way he used to, but he had messed up twice in his life and cheated. He would never do that again. Hearing Bryce's voice getting loud again snapped him out of his reverie.

"Get it somewhere else, Blaine! Get it somewhere else, damn." Bryce said, raising his voice again, almost screaming "Fine, if that is what you want fine, go and get it somewhere else, see if I fucking care, why don't you go and get it from the wonderful Kurt, since I know you still love him, judging by the stupid videos you posted. I bet you even thought about him when I was lying on my back under you, and you were fucking my brains out."

"You know what Bryce, go to hell. I have never once thought of cheating on you. I haven't wanted anyone else since the first time we made love," Blaine said now beyond mad and only slightly lying. Yes, he did think of being with Kurt again, but would never act on it as long as he was married to Bryce

"Made love Blaine, made love, we didn't make love because you don't love me. You rammed your dick in my ass. I don't see that as making love, we had sex. That was nothing but sex pure and simple," Bryce said, pointing his finger in Blaine's face.

Blaine just stands there staring at him, shocked and hurt. True, he didn't love him, but he had always been gentle with him. Blaine had never once been rough, and yes, he considers it making love. He had also never once forced himself on him, if Bryce didn't want it that was okay, he was fine, just holding him, hence it being two months since the last time they had done anything, and they only had intercourse three times the whole four months they had been married.

Bryce seemed to be okay with everything else they did but just wasn't fond of penetration. Blaine, who had never bottomed before, had always topped with Kurt, had bottomed once for Bryce to see if he would like it better, hoping at least that way they could have a normal sex life, but he hadn't liked that either. So Blaine contented himself with doing everything else that Bryce seemed to be okay with.

"I bet you said the same thing to Kurt before you cheated on him "I haven't wanted anyone else since the first time we made love," Bryce said in a whiney imitation of Blaine's voice. "Why don't you go fuck him, oops, make love to him, he's the one you love after all because you sure as hell won't be fucking me anytime soon," Bryce said, and then he turned around and walked out the door slamming it behind him, leaving Blaine shocked and confused wondering where the hell that had come from.

Bryce had changed so much since they got married or was finally starting to show his true colors. Either way, Blaine was done...

That day Blaine went to a divorce lawyer. He signed papers to start the divorce process, and since he was the only one that had been there for Sere since the day they got her, he was going to fight for full custody.

Thank goodness Blaine had listened to his dad before getting married, because even though it was a quick wedding they had both signed a prenup, so they were both protected. He would wait for Bryce to come home and serve him with the papers then. This was over. He was so beyond done.