Chapter 13 The Funeral

oOoOo

Way too soon, Blaine was telling Kurt goodbye, not even close to being ready to walk away from him "I guess I need to head out, can I call you later?" Blaine asked, pulling Kurt back into his arms and placing a soft kiss on his lips, missing him so much already.

"You better, or I'll have to come to California and track you down," Kurt said, trying to smile when all he wanted to do is cry.

"You can come whenever you want," Blaine said one hundred percent serious, once again kissing him slow and gentle, not trying to deepen it, trying to remember that they were going to try to work on being friends again, and then maybe something more.

"I'll keep that in mind," Kurt said, "I'll be thinking about you tomorrow, call me if you need to talk."

"I will," Blaine said, walking over the stroller and pushing Sere towards the door. "It was really good seeing you again," Blaine said, leaning over and placing a kiss on Kurt's cheek and pulling him back into a quick hug before slowly pushing Sere out the door. When he got outside, the cab he had called was waiting for him, so before Blaine even realized it, he was back at the airport on his way home.

When Blaine walked into his apartment, the first thing he did was look around, he had lived here for four months, and at one time, he had felt happy here. It had felt like a home. Now it just felt like space. He needed to figure out where to go from here, what he wanted to do with the rest of his life. He knows he isn't interested in being an actor anymore, he was tired of dealing with the paparazzi, and he doesn't want to raise his daughter having to deal with it. He wanted a safe environment that he could raise her. He wanted a home for her, he knows right now isn't the best time to be thinking about anything, not until he is secure in what the Mitchells might decide to throw his way.

He took Sere to her room and put her in her crib. She had managed to fall asleep in the cab on the way home. He figured he could use the time she was sleeping to get some things done. On the morning he had found out about Bryce, Blaine had run out of the house in a hurry, leaving an unmade bed and a bathroom torn apart as he had quickly thrown stuff in a bag for himself and Sere and ran out the door.

Since his parents would be sleeping in his room, he went in and changed the sheets on the bed and put fresh towels in the bathroom. He grabbed up the dirty clothes that were in the hamper and ran a load of clothes, doing anything to keep busy, to keep his mind from running wild.

He looked around at all of Bryce's stuff, not even knowing where to begin on getting rid of it. He had a whole cabinet of nothing but awards. Blaine's three looked pretty pathetic next to the thirty plus Bryce had in there. Blaine had no idea what to do with those kinds of things, and then there were all his clothes. He knew he didn't want anything that was Bryce's, and he had already decided he didn't want to save any of it for Sere. Bryce might have been her father biologically, but he wasn't the papa he had once said he wanted to be. Not after reading in that journal where he said he hated her as much as he did Blaine. Who says something like that about their own child? No, if he could help it, she would never know anything about Bryce. Blaine was going to check with his dad about having Bryce's name removed from her birth certificate if that was possible. He already planned on changing her name legally as soon as possible. The Mitchell would be dropped. She would just be Anderson.

He was looking around contemplating what he should do when he heard his doorbell, Blaine thought it was too early for his parents to be there, so he walked over to the door and looked through the peephole and saw that it was Cooper. He quickly opened the door and found himself being pulled into Cooper's arms.

"I am so sorry, Blaine. I wish I even knew where to begin," Cooper said, looking at him. The bad thing was that he didn't know if Cooper was saying he was sorry about Bryce dying or about what he had learned after the fact.

"Have you talked to mom and dad yet?" Blaine asked, looking at him.

"No, they just told me you were here, and the funeral will be tomorrow. How are you? Are you ok?" Cooper asked. Blaine could tell he was almost in tears. Cooper had gotten close to Bryce while they were all working together on Always and even more so after Blaine and Bryce had gotten married.

"Shit, I was hoping mom and dad would have talked to you," Blaine said. He was about to shut the door when he heard…

"No, sweetheart, we figured that it was your story to tell, as much or as little as you wanted," Pam said, walking up and hugging him and then hugging Cooper.

"Once you tell him what you want him to know, I have some news from the lawyer," his dad said, walking up and hugging his sons.

"How did you guys get here so soon?" Blaine asked them, he hadn't expected them for at least another hour.

"We left right after we talked to you," Pam said, going over to the couch and sitting down.

Blaine turned around and looked at Cooper, not even knowing where to begin explaining what he had found out. "Let's go sit down. I have some stuff I need to talk to you about," Blaine sighed as he sat down. He just wants this to all be over and done with, tired of everything already, and sincerely hoping this will be the last time he'll ever have to tell this story again.

When Cooper had sat down, he gave him the condensed version, telling him what he had found in the journal, about being married already, what Bryce's dad had told him, keeping the really personal stuff to himself. He hadn't even shared all of it with Kurt.

"So, you are telling me that ass hat was already married?" Cooper asked, starting to look mad at this point.

"Yes," Blaine said, nodding his head.

"That fucking son of a bitch, if he weren't already dead, I swear, I would kill his ass," Cooper yelled, jumping up. In the process, he woke up Sere, who started crying.

"I'm sorry Blaine," he said, looking at him, not sorry about the words he said but sorry he had woken the baby up.

"It's ok. She would have been waking up soon anyway," Blaine said, walking toward the baby's room.

"Hey baby, did Uncle Cooper wake you up?" he said, walking up to the crib, reaching down and picking her up, kissing her on her neck, smiling when she laughed. He so loved hearing her laugh.

"Nana, Pops, and Uncle Cooper are here. Do you want to go see them?" he asked as he quickly changed her diaper and then carried her into the living room. He made it all of three steps before his mom was jumping up and grabbing her out of his arms.

"How is Nana's baby?" she asks, sitting back down and continues to talk to her.

"So, your marriage wasn't even legal?" Cooper asked when Blaine sat back down.

"No, it wasn't. Now I have to worry about whether or not the Mitchells are going to try to fight me for custody. I have to worry that they are going to take her away from me somehow," Blaine said, feeling nervous all over again.

"Son, I've told you that wasn't going to happen. You're not going to lose that baby. I got in contact with the lawyer Shey had worked with when she set up will. He said that the hospital always keeps blood samples of patients that are killed in car accidents in case there is ever litigation. He is going to have some sent to my doctor. We are going to do a DNA test to prove I was Shey's father. We will have just as much right to her as they do. I also talked to Bryce's lawyer, as well. He said that he would be there tomorrow. Apparently, Bryce had an addendum added to his will, stipulating that it was to be read right after his funeral or memorial service. He wouldn't tell me any more than that, so I don't know how that is going to go, as to whether or not Bryce's money will still be yours, or if it will go to the Mitchell's," Michael said, looking at Blaine.

"I'm not worried about the money. I can take care of Sere without it. I had planned on putting it in a trust fund for her anyway the way I did with the money she got from Shey," Blaine said looking at him, "Is there something else we need to be worried about?" he asked looking at his dad.

"No son, there isn't, I would tell you if there was. We will find out about the will one way or the other tomorrow," Michael said reassuringly

"Let me ask you this, after everything is settled with Sere one way or the other, how hard would it be to have her name changed again? I want to have Mitchell removed, I don't want her to have any association with that family at all. I would also like to have Bryce's name removed as her father. I know when I adopted her they put my name on the birth certificate, can we have his removed?" Blaine asked looking at his dad

"Son, are you sure that's something you want to do. He was her father, after all. What if she asks questions when she gets older? How will you explain that?" His dad asked.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Dad, Bryce, doesn't deserve to be listed as her father. If you saw what he had written about her in his journal, you would feel the same way," Blaine said before he realized it. He hadn't told his family about what Bryce had written about Sere and himself.

"What did he say?" Michael asked quietly, all of a sudden looking as mad as Cooper had a few minutes ago.

"Shit," Blaine said quietly, looking at his dad. "Hang on a second," Blaine said, walking into the office where he had put the journal and then walked back into the living room with it. He quickly found the page and starts reading it to them.

"How and when did my life start to suck this bad. I so regret him and her. I wish I could just walk away. I am starting to hate them both, but the best thing I can say about Blaine is that I have a built-in babysitter," he couldn't even look up, he was so embarrassed for his parents and brother to find out just how bad his marriage had been, feeling like a failure.

"Oh my god, Blaine, why didn't you tell us?" his mom asked, looking at him shocked.

"Who wants to tell their parents something like that, and trust me that is tame compared to some of the other things he had written in here," He said, finally looking up at her, a sad look on his face.

"Son, I'm so sorry. Now I know why you didn't want to go to the funeral. But we need to be there," Michael said, looking at him, feeling like Cooper, if Bryce was still alive, Michael would happily kill him for the things he put Blaine through.

"I know dad, I know, but with you guys there, I'll be ok," Blaine said quietly, putting his head in his hands once again just wishing tomorrow was over. Blaine stayed like that for several minutes, feeling like he was about to break down, just so tired of everything, and then he heard the sweetest sound he had ever heard in his life.

"Dada," his head flew up, and he looked at Sere, she was playing with her toes "dada," she repeated it, and he was out of his chair and kneeling in front of his mom.

"Did you hear that?" he whispered, looking at his mom. She just nodded her head as tears started rolling down her cheeks, with the biggest smile on her face. Blaine quickly stood up and grabbed Sere pulling her to him kissing all over her face

"Who is the smartest little girl in the world?" Blaine said, and then she started giggling. She had no idea, but in that moment, she had saved Blaine. He held her close looking into her face, so thankful for her and knowing that no matter what it had cost him, he was glad that he had met Bryce, because in meeting Bryce, Blaine had gotten his precious little girl, and he would do it all over again.

oOoOo

The next morning everyone got up and started getting ready for the funeral. It was supposed to be at ten at the funeral home across town. Blaine pulls out the only black suit he owns and gets himself dressed, making sure to put the bracelet Kurt had given him back on his wrist. He just knew he was going to need it today. Having it on made Blaine feel closer to Kurt. Made him feel loved, and he really needed that today.

When he was finished getting dressed, he went into Sere's room and pulled out the little dress he had planned on putting on her. It was a navy blue and had little flowers all over it. He changed her diaper, put the dress on her, and then added a pair of blue tights. He had to smile at how cute she looked. He was so very proud to be her daddy.

Blaine walked into the living room and found the rest of his family already dressed and ready to go. He quickly heats up a bottle for Sere and then sits down, snuggling with her until she was done with it. Blaine had arranged for a limousine to drive them to the funeral home, so when it got there, they all walk out and got in.

When they arrive at the funeral home, the first thing Blaine noticed was all the reporters standing around, taking pictures of everyone walking in. It was a star-studded event he almost laughed out loud at that thought. He had figured some of the people who had worked with Bryce would show up, but he really had no idea of the number of people that would.

Blaine was the first to step out of the car, and a million light bulbs flashed. He was wearing a pair of dark sunglasses, he turned around reached in the car and was handed Sere he held her so that her head was on his shoulder trying to hide her face as much as possible. He stepped slightly left, and then Cooper stepped out, and more lights flashed, and reporters started asking questions. They stood there until their mom and dad stepped out of the car.

Cooper moved to the front, raising his hand to get everyone's attention. "We want to thank everyone for the care, concern, and support you have been showing my brother. At this time, we do ask for your continued support as he attempts to get through today. Thank you to everyone who has offered their condolences, it had meant a lot to us. Now if you'll excuse us," Cooper said, and they all headed toward the door

The whole time Blaine stood there, he kept his head down, he knew if he looked up, looked at Cooper he would laugh. He so just wanted to get this farce over with. He didn't want to be here acting like he cared, when he just couldn't anymore.

The five Anderson's made their way into the Chapel, and Blaine did laugh when he looked up and saw the look on the Mitchell's faces as they walked in. Pam heard it and quickly pulled him into a hug, whispering in his ear, "Behave yourself, Blaine," as she did so. That had him laughing harder, his shoulders shaking.

Because of her actions, the laugh was reported in the papers and on TV later that Blaine had broken down crying still holding "their" Daughter in his arms. Only one other person, besides the Anderson's, knew the truth, knew that sound for what it was. Sitting in his apartment in New York, Kurt laughs himself as he watches the coverage of the funeral being broadcasted live.

He quickly pulls out his phone and sends a text, knowing Blaine's phone would be on vibrate, he watches on television as Blaine pulls his phone out his suit pocket, looks at the screen and then looks at the camera, eyes scrunching up, before wrapping his arms around his mom, laughing again.

Kurt had simply texted Blaine, "Behave."

oOoOo

After the funeral service was completed, Mr. Garrison, Bryce's lawyer, asked for everyone in the family to meet at his office, once again stating that that had been Bryce's wishes. Blaine walked into the office, holding Sere and followed by his parents. Cooper opted to sit out in the waiting room. He knew his presence wouldn't be needed for the reading, and he knew that if he had to sit in the same room with Bryce's father, words would be exchanged. So he opted to give the family space.

When the Mitchell's walk in they look at Blaine and his parents "We didn't think you wanted to have anything to do with the funeral Blaine, you said you had no intention of even being there. Is it all the money you think you are about to get that had you showing up. I knew you were just with him for his money," his father said, looking at Blaine, hatred written all over his face.

Blaine just laughed, "You really have no clue, do you? I have more money than Bryce ever thought about having, that's why the prenup was written. It was written to protect my interests, not Bryce's. I don't need his money and have no intention of ever touching it. Everything will go into a trust for my daughter. "

"Whose daughter, Blaine? Whose daughter?" Bryce's mom screamed, making Sere cry when the raised voice scared her.

"MY DAUGHTER June. My Daughter," Blaine shouted back, holding Sere's head to his chest, covering her ears, so his voice didn't scare her as well.

"Trust me, Blaine. You won't be listed as her father for long. We will be taking custody of her. We are her closest blood relative. You just swooped in and stole her from us." June Mitchell answered back, "And I don't remember ever permitting you to call me by my first name MR. ANDERSON," she said, looking at Blaine.

"I apologize, Mrs. Mitchell, but I didn't swoop in anywhere. I sure as hell didn't see you getting on a plane and flying to London to be with your son when he lost his best friend. You weren't there to comfort him when he felt like his world was falling apart, and as for my Daughter… bring it" Blaine said looking at them

"We didn't go to London, because you were already there with him, corrupting him, making him think he was gay. You turned our son gay, and we had to face all of our friends when he came out like that. We aren't going to allow you to corrupt our granddaughter as well," Mr. Mitchell said, stepping forward, sounding just as angry as his wife.

"I didn't turn your son gay, you can't turn someone gay, you are either gay, or you're not. I couldn't have turned him anything, and as far my daughter is concerned if she does end up being gay, as far as I am concerned, that well be perfectly ok, as long as she is happy. Because unlike you, her happiness is all I really care about," Blaine said, getting upset again.

"Well, just a warning, Mr. Anderson, we have already gotten with a lawyer, and we let them know we want to start proceedings to remove you as her father. Bryce was her father, not you. She will be coming home with us sooner than you think," June Mitchell said with a nasty smile on her face like she was enjoying what she was doing.

"And how do you plan on paying for said lawyer? You don't have any money, and since Bryce died, you haven't been getting any from him." Blaine asked looking at them

"Don't concern yourself, we will be able to pay for it with no problem after today," She grinned again and had Blaine wondering if Bryce had changed his will after all.

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, I wonder how the judge will feel when we tell him that you knew your son was already married, and you told him that he could get remarried, that it would be fine. I wonder how they will take that," Michael Anderson said, finally stepping forward having heard enough.

"You have no proof that we knew anything about that, you can't prove anything" June Mitchell said starting to sound a little nervous

"Yes, I do, and yes, I can. I have Bryce's journal. You know his journal, the one he wrote in several times a day? Yeah, I have that, so yes, I do have proof, also, in my closet, he has a box stored, and in that box is every single journal he has ever had from the time he was 13. I found them when I was going through his stuff trying to decide what to do with it all," Blaine said with a smile

"You have his journals, we want them, Blaine, they were his, and we want them," Mr. Mitchell said, all color draining from his face, wondering what those journals said.

"Nope, I think I'll hold on to them until I make sure I don't need them anymore, but no, you won't be getting those," Blaine said, just looking at them.

"Ok, everyone, if you are ready, we will get started with the reading of the will." Mr. Garrison said finally walking into the room

Everyone found a seat, Blaine, as far away from the Mitchells as he could possibly get.

"This is the last will and testament of one Bryce Benjamin Mitchell, I Bryce Mitchell being of sound mind and body do hereby bequeath all my worldly goods and property to Blaine Devon Anderson. This includes my banks and savings accounts, my apartments in New York, and Paris, my BMW and my mustang that are in the garage at the New York apartment, also the house I own in which my parents currently reside. How you opt to handle that property, I leave to your complete discretion."

"Wait a blessed minute, he gave our house to that bastard," Mr. Mitchell screamed, standing up, knocking the chair he had been sitting in backward.

"Mr. Mitchell, please calm down so we can finish the reading of the will." Mr. Garrison said, looking shocked by the outburst.

"Fine, just fine, go ahead," Sitting back down, but everyone could tell just how mad he really was.

"Thank you for walking into my life when you did, for being there for Sere. I am leaving everything to you because I know you will always be there to take care of her. I wish I could have been the father to her that I know you will be, I was just never daddy material" Mr. Garrison finished reading the will, listing everything that would now be Blaine's including the apartment in London that had passed to Bryce when Shey died.

"What about us, are you saying he didn't leave us anything?" Mrs. Mitchell screamed, standing up, causing Sere to jump and start crying. Blaine just held her a little closer, rubbing up and down her back and placing little kisses on her head, shooting the woman looks over her head.

Mr. Garrison slowly reached into the top drawer of his desk and pulled out a plain white envelope that had Mom and Dad written on the front in Bryce's handwriting. "He left this for you," Mr. Garrison said, passing it over without looking at them.

June quickly jumped on the envelope and tore it open and then just looked at it with her mouth hanging open, not understanding as she pulled out a one-dollar bill and nothing more.

"Bryce came back to my office, Mr. Anderson after you were here with him. He wanted to make a few changes to the will he had signed the day you were both here. He asked me if he could get by without leaving his parents anything. I advised him to leave them something, or else they could, potentially, contest the validity of his will. He pulled that bill out of his pocket, asked for an envelope, and put that bill in it."

"So he leaves that asshole everything, all our money, our house?" Mr. Mitchell chimes in again.

"Yes, Mr. Mitchell, he left him everything," Mr. Garrison responded. Now understanding why Bryce had done what he had. "Mr. Anderson, I will be forwarding a copy of this will, and the deeds to all properties that will now be yours to your father who works as your lawyer, if I am correct. Bryce wanted me to advise you that all properties were yours to do with as you see fit, especially the one his parents currently reside in."

"Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell, he was very clear to me that he wanted you to have nothing from him at all. I advised him that he had to leave you something hence the $1.00 he left you." Mr. Garrison finished looking at them. Letting them know that was the end.

"Right now, Blaine, you sign the deed of our house over to us right now and reinstate our allowance, and you can keep that little bitch, we don't want her. So right now, sign it over, and she is yours, we won't fight you for her" Mr. Mitchell said with a calculating look on his face

Blaine just sat there in complete shock. Number one, he never knew that Bryce would be leaving him the Mitchells house; he hadn't even known that Bryce owned it, to begin with. He slowly stood up, kissed Sere on the top of her head one more time, handed the baby to his mom, and then walked towards Mr. Mitchell.

"So, what you are saying to me right now is that I can sign the deed over to you and basically buy my daughter, is that what I'm hearing from you?" Blaine said in a deathly quiet voice.

"Yes, that is what I'm saying to you, sign it over now, she is yours," Mr. Mitchell was stupid enough to repeat it. It took everything Blaine had not to deck him

"Oh, trust me, I am not signing over ANYTHING to you ever, and I think you need to be out of my house by this weekend. If any damage is done to it, I will sue you for every last penny you have or don't have, and if you ever call my daughter a bitch again Mr. Mitchell I will forget how my parents raised me," Blaine said before turning around and walking away, wanting so much just to hurt the guy.

"You can't kick us out of our house. You were never even married to Bryce, your marriage wasn't legal, to begin with since he was still married to Jennifer," Mrs. Mitchell threw out with a smirk, thinking she was being so smart.

"So, what you are saying, in front of two officers of the court by the way, is that you are admitting that you knew Blaine and Bryce's marriage wasn't legal, and the two of you helped Bryce perpetrate a fraud against Blaine, correct" Michael Anderson also stood up at this point.

The Mitchells finally were smart enough not to open their mouths, not knowing what the blowback from this could be, but knowing that they really didn't have a leg to stand on.

"I expect you out of my house by this weekend, or I will have you arrested for trespassing," Blaine said, watching them walk out the door. Once they were gone and the door shut, Blaine turned to his parents, "If they hadn't said what they said, offering to let me buy Sere, I would have just signed that house over to them. I don't want it, and it will be something else I am going to have to try to do something with." Blaine said, sitting back down in the chair he had been sitting in

"Mr. Anderson when Bryce was here, he let it slip that he was technically married to someone else, since I was his lawyer, of course, I couldn't say anything to you," He said looking at Blaine asking in a way for his understanding

"He didn't want the wording in his will to say he was leaving his possessions to his husband, just your name. He knew that his parents could have come back later, stating that since you were never legally married, the will wasn't legal either. That would have voided this will, and we would have then used his original one that had left everything to his parents. He was cautious about everything. But, I also do feel I need to inform you that he had an appointment set for next week. He told me he wanted to change his will once again. He never told me what part of it, he wanted to change. I felt I needed to let you know," Mr. Garrison said looking at him

"Thank you for everything, sir. I really appreciate it," Blaine said, standing up and shaking his hand before reaching down and taking his sleeping daughter out of his mom's arms and walking towards the office door, so glad this was finally over.

"Dad, do you think I was wrong? That I should have signed the deed over to them the way they asked?" Blaine asked when they had all stepped out the door, and it closed behind them.

"I think you did exactly what you needed to do. Don't worry son. If they do decide to fight us, we will have the DNA test as a backup like I said we have just as much right to her as they do, you more so since that adoption made you her legal parent. I don't see how they can possibly fight that, plus, if we need to, we can call Mr. Garrison in to testify to what was said by the Mitchells. Stop worrying son, I can only imagine how hard that will be, but we have this, trust me," Michael said, walking over and hugging his son.

oOoOo

When they walked into Blaine's apartment he carried Sere into her room, he changed her out of her dress and slipped her into a pair of pajamas knowing they wouldn't be going back out and then laid her in her crib. He walked over to the rocking chair in the corner of her room, pulling out his phone as he went and called the only person in the world he wanted to talk to, and he relaxed for the first time that day hearing that sweet voice.

His parents stayed with him for three days after the funeral, and then his dad needed to head back to Westerville, back to his office. Blaine and Kurt had been talking every day, several times a day, and it just felt so normal to pick up his phone and call him.

"I have a question for you," Blaine said when Kurt answered the phone.

"What might that be?" Kurt asked, holding his phone to his ear while reading an email from Isabelle.

"Do you have any idea what to do with awards?" Blaine asked him, standing in front of the cabinet that had all Bryce's awards in it.

Kurt stops trying to read and pays attention to what Blaine is saying

"I have all of Bryce's awards, I don't want them, but I have no idea what to do with them or any of the rest of his shit. I want it gone, but have no clue what to do with it," Blaine said.

"Do you want me to come help you?" Kurt asks, throwing out the offer on the spur of the moment, biting down on his bottom lip, hoping Blaine will say yes. Kurt missed him so much.

"I can't ask you to do that, Kurt," Blaine said, feeling his heart speed up at the thought of getting to see Kurt again, having Kurt here.

"Blaine, that's what friends do. They are there for each other, to help each other get through things like this," Kurt said hopeful. He was ready to see Blaine again, even if it had to be just as friends. Kurt hated this, he used to be able to read Blaine, know what he was thinking. Now, more than ever, Kurt wished he still could.

"I would like that, but only if you are sure, Kurt. It's not that I don't want you here, I do, I just don't want you to feel like you have to do this," Blaine answered

"Blaine, did you just meet me yesterday? How often have I ever done anything I didn't want to do?" Kurt asks in his best diva'ish voice, causing Blaine to smile, god, how he had missed conversations like this, where they were just Kurt and Blaine, not putting thought into every word.

"I wouldn't have volunteered if I didn't want to do it. I have several weeks of vacation time built up so I can take a few days. Let me go and tell Isabelle that I won't be here the rest of the week and then I'll go and pack my bag and be on my way," Kurt said standing up and walking out of his office door heading to Isabelle's office

"Thanks Kurt, you have no idea how much this means to me. I am going to book you a flight and then call you back with the information if you are sure." Blaine said with his first real smile in a while.

"That sounds perfect," Kurt said before hanging up. He explains to Isabelle what is going on, and she tells him to take all the time he needed and also hints about getting his "friend" to do an interview.

"Hey, it was just a suggestion," she says with a big grin on her face. She remembers Blaine from when he and Kurt were still together and is happy for them that there was a chance they might be able to reconnect. To her, they had always seemed perfect for each other and had been surprised when Kurt had told her that they had broken up again. He never went into why it happened just that it was over.

Blaine managed to get Kurt a flight for 6 pm that night that would land in California at 9 pm with the three hour time difference. Not wanting to take anything for granted and wanting Kurt to be comfortable being there, Blaine stopped on his way to the airport and booked Kurt a suite at a nice motel three miles away from his apartment. Would he have preferred Kurt to have come home with him, stay with him, yes, but he was trying to take this slow and not push Kurt into a situation he wasn't ready for, plus the only available bedroom was the one he had shared with Bryce. Even though they didn't sleep there together often, it would have just felt weird to him, having Kurt in the bed he had once shared with Bryce. Blaine never planned on sleeping in that room again.

Blaine called the babysitter he and Bryce had found when they had first brought Sere home. Blaine had come to trust her. He had decided not to take Sere with him due to the lateness of the hour, and because he wanted to be able to spend some time alone with Kurt. That would also make things easier should the paparazzi show up.

When he got to the airport, Blaine went straight to the arrival area where Kurt's plane would be disembarking, anxious to see him again. Blaine had missed Kurt more than he realized in the last year and was glad that he had volunteered to come. Blaine had wanted to ask Kurt, but just couldn't get the words out. He was still trying to navigate their new friendship, what was ok and what wasn't, wishing once again that they could just go back to them, when everything just seemed natural. Looking around, Blaine was glad to see that the paparazzi hadn't appeared. He was hoping he could get Kurt out of the airport unnoticed, so that they could have a nice dinner and spend some time together before taking him to his motel for the night. Blaine was pacing the arrival area when he looked up and saw Kurt walking towards him. He couldn't keep a smile from spreading across his face, as he rushes forward and pulls Kurt into his arms, holding him close and never wanting to let him go.

"I can't believe you are here," Blaine whispers in his ear, just wanting to kiss him, but he tells himself, friends, we are going to be friends. With a sigh, Blaine reigns in his feeling, pulls Kurt just a little tighter for a moment, and then slowly lets him go. "You ready to get out of here?"

"Yeah, let's go," Kurt said, trying to smile, wondering why Blaine was acting weird around him.

Blaine reached down and takes Kurt's carry on from him and then starts leading him towards the airport doors, wishing he had the nerve to reach out and hold Kurt's hand. The time Blaine had spent with Bryce had helped him in some ways. He had learned to be comfortable holding Bryce's hand in public, or occasionally placing a quick kiss on his cheek, but he still couldn't bring himself to do the same with Kurt, and he hated that everything seemed off with them. Blaine decided right then that he and Kurt needed to talk, they needed to decide what and how much was acceptable. He hated feeling unsure around Kurt, the one person he had always known better than anyone. Blaine had gotten so lost in his thoughts that he didn't pay attention to his surroundings like he usually did, and only became aware of the paparazzi, only when he saw the flash from a camera. He reached down, grabbed Kurt's hand with his free one, and sprinted toward the exit.

"Sorry about that," Blaine said out of breath when they finally got them to his car. Blaine put Kurt's suitcase in the backseat and then walks up to Kurt, standing in front of him, so nervous all of a sudden.

"It's ok, that wasn't your fault," Kurt said, looking up at Blaine. He still couldn't believe he was here, that they were together again, well Kurt hopes they will be together soon anyway. He knows they have a lot to work through. A long conversation to have, but he was hopeful for the first time in a long time. He just wishes this didn't feel so weird, that they didn't seem almost hesitant with each other. They hadn't acted like this around each other since the day they first met. After that, they had just always meshed with each other perfectly.

Blaine slowly moves closer to Kurt. He knows he shouldn't, but he just can't seem to get close enough, can't stop himself, like something unseen was drawing him closer, and he was starting to wonder why he even fought it. Never taking his eyes off of Kurt, Blaine slowly raises his hand so that he was cupping Kurt's cheek, gently rubbing his thumb up and down, as his heartbeat picks up and feels like it wants to bust through his chest. Kurt was there with him for the first time in a long time, and he just wanted him back.

"Kurt, can I kiss you" He whispered so quietly Kurt almost didn't hear it, so mesmerized by Blaine's eyes, the ones he used to spend hours staring into. Kurt slowly nodded his head and then watched as Blaine slowly lowered his head, closing his eyes when he felt Blaine's lips gently rub against his, and just like that, he is transported back in time, a time when this beautiful man was still his.

Blaine deepens the kiss, slowly sliding his tongue into Kurt's mouth, tasting him after what feels like forever, sliding his hands down Kurt's back, down to his ass, pulling him forward, needing him closer. Every kiss they had shared since they started talking again had been soft, gentle, a kiss of friendship. But this, this was a real kiss, something he had missed so much, but he also wanted so much more. When Blaine pulled slowly away, he kept his hand on Kurt's cheek, gently rubbing his face with his thumb, never taking his eyes off the man he still loved so much. The person he had once loved above all others, now, there was only one person who he loved more, his little Sere.

"Blaine, can I ask you a question?" Kurt whispers, not taking his eyes off of Blaine, loving the feeling of him rubbing his face, being back in his strong arms. "Why did you ask to kiss me? You've never done that before," Kurt said, feeling a sudden sadness he couldn't understand.

"I asked you Kurt, because every other time I have kissed you, except for the first time, you had been mine. Now…" Blaine let his words trail off raising his shoulders, but he never once stopped rubbing up and down Kurt's cheek.

Kurt stepped closer, placing his forehead on Blaine's shoulder and started to cry, Blaine wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, pulling him closer, beginning to wonder if there was any way back for them, so hoping there was. He needed so much to believe that there was.