A/N: Thank you for all the likes, follows, Kudo's, reviews and for just reading my work. You made my day. Thank you for my amazing beta JayHawkWrites for all your suggestions and fixes. You are the best. TB.
Chapter 9 Until Next Time
Saying goodbye to Kurt had been hard. Blaine had known it would be, but until he walked through the door of the plane, he hadn't known just how hard. Making his way down the aisle to the seat he always occupied, he sat down and looked out the window, watching Kurt stand there. Before the plane started to taxi, and before the pilot asked for everyone to turn off their electronic devices, Blaine sent Kurt a quick text. He needed him to know how much he loved him, and how much he was going to be missed.
When the plane started its taxi down the runway, Blaine couldn't take his eyes off of Kurt. He kept wishing he was back with him and wondering how long it would be until he could be again. Blaine felt a lump in his throat and a pain in his chest he hadn't felt since the last time Kurt had told him goodbye. No, it wasn't the same situation as it had been then, nor for the same reasons, but it was still another goodbye, and it hurt.
Leaning his head on the back of his seat, Blaine closed his eyes, once again thankful for being able to have his own private plane. Yes, it had been an extravagant purchase, but for Blaine, it had also been a necessary one. When he had first started touring, transportation had been on buses and commercial airlines. Blaine wasn't above those things, but being able to sit somewhere and just be quiet and not be disturbed on an extended tour was priceless. When Blaine agreed to the second world tour, he knew that purchasing his own plane was the only way he'd survive it. It was bad enough being away from home and being alone for such long periods of time, but to be held up by one delay after another was too much to take. Blaine had had enough when their second plane on one leg of their first tour needed to land early due to mechanical issues. He had known then that his own plane was needed.
Technically the plane wasn't his. It belonged to the foundation that he had started right after he had signed his first contract with Virgin records. When royalty payments had started coming in, Blaine had gotten with Wes, and they had started The Warbler Foundation. It was a non-profit organization that they used to help fund things like The Trevor Project and to set up scholarships for students at Dalton. There were a lot of boys out there like Kurt who needed the protection and safety of Dalton, but their parents just couldn't afford the tuition. The foundation tried to offer two new scholarships a year and had a fund set aside for emergency placements. Wes and Blaine were hoping within the next few months also to be able to start a scholarship fund for their sister school, Crawford Country Day.
Blaine wanted to show his appreciation to the school for everything he had been given. This foundation, and by association the scholarship, was the perfect opportunity. Wes ran the day to day operations, helping to get funding for their scholarship program, while Blaine was in the background as a silent partner. His name couldn't be found on anything dealing with the foundation. He just wanted to help without getting recognition for it. That wasn't why he did what he did.
To help keep the foundation running and be able to do what they were currently doing, Blaine donated every royalty check he got from the sale of his albums to the foundation. He would never need the money; he could live the rest of his life on the intrust from his trust fund alone. By donating his royalty checks, more people could be helped.
During the hour-long flight from Paris to Geneva, Blaine thought about how to handle the Tina situation. She was one of Blaine's best friends and had been there for him when his world had crashed down around him and he had needed her the most. Blaine couldn't sit back, though, and let her talk to him or Kurt the way she had. Blaine understands that she was just trying to protect him, but she had crossed a line tonight. She had gone way too far and he had no idea how he was going to handle it. He knows that if it had been anyone else, they would have already lost their job.
When Jack Ambrose had first agreed to become Blaine's manager, and he had signed with Virgin records, they had gotten together to build Blaine's band. Sam Evans was brought on as a bass player, becoming the first band member to sign a contract. Blaine had needed his friends around him at that time. When Jack had recommended that Blaine hire a personal assistant, someone to work with the label to schedule flights and set up hotel reservations, Blaine had called in Tina right away, knowing that she would be the best person for the job. Until tonight, he hadn't regretted that decision. Jack had tried to explain that business and friendship didn't usually go well together, but up until tonight, everything had been perfect.
"Blaine, can we talk?" Tina asked Blaine quietly, before sitting down beside him.
"Not tonight, Tina, ok. We'll get together in the morning and discuss everything after we've had time to rest. We'll go over everything, then ok?" Blaine answered. He wasn't ready to have this conversation when he still didn't know what direction to take it.
"I'm sorry, Blaine. I know I stepped over the line," Tina said.
"Yes, you did, Tina, but as I said, I don't want to get into this tonight. Let's wait until the morning when we will both have clearer heads and are less likely to say something we might regret. I love you, Tina. You are one of my very best friends but don't push it tonight, ok. We'll get together tomorrow," Blaine said to his friend, hoping she would get up and go back to her seat and leave him to his thoughts. Right now, his feelings were still too raw, and he had a feeling if she opened her mouth too much, he would just tell her to go home. When she sat there not moving, Blaine sighed and closed his eyes. He knew he wouldn't sleep, but he needed to think.
By the time Blaine's plane landed in Geneva it was 1 am and Blaine was dragging. It had been a really long day. He had woken up early and then spent the entire day with Kurt sightseeing. He wouldn't complain about getting to spend time with Kurt, he only wished he had gotten to spend more time with him. But the concert on top of a day spent walking around had left Blaine with no energy. The only thing he wanted to do was get to the hotel, check-in, text Kurt, shower, and then crawl into bed. The flight hadn't taken as long as Blaine thought it would, but they had been delayed on the tarmac, leaving them having to wait before they could disembark the plane. Blaine walked off the plane happy and unbelievably sad at the same time. Happy because he had Kurt back in his life, and sad because they were already separated for who knows how long.
With a sigh, Blaine walked towards the waiting limousine and slid in. When Tina and Sam followed him, he didn't say a word, just looked out the window and watched the passing lights through the window. He still had no idea what was going on with Tina, but right now he knew, if he spoke to her, he would say something he would regret. Instead, he opted to keep his mouth shut until the morning. He planned on calling a meeting with her and let her know what changes needed to be made. Blaine would need to think of a plan if she wouldn't agree to the changes, though he really hoped she would.
When Blaine finally made it to his room, it was already 2 am. He didn't want to call Kurt this late, but he knew Kurt would worry if he didn't. Blaine opted just to send him a quick text to let him know they had landed safely, he loved him and hoped that Kurt had a good night and that they would talk sometime tomorrow. When Blaine finished the text he walked towards the bathroom, wanting nothing more than a long hot shower and then to crawl into bed. Blaine sat his phone on the counter, and right as he was leaning over to turn the water on, his phone started playing a very familiar song. It was a song that had always had a way of making him smile, even if he had been having the worst day of his life.
"Kurt, sweetheart, why aren't you asleep?" Blaine asked, hating that he had woken Kurt up.
"I couldn't sleep until I knew you were safe. How's Geneva?" Kurt asked, trying to hide a yawn.
"Well, from what I saw of it in the dark on my way to the hotel, it seems ok," Blaine said with a soft laugh.
"Well, I'm glad you made it there. Will you call me in the morning when you wake up?" Kurt questioned.
"Try to stop me. You will be the first person I call. I love you, sweetheart," Blaine said, still not believing he could say those words to Kurt again.
"I love you too. Night, Blaine," Kurt whispered once again, yawning.
"Night, Kurt," Blaine said, laughing as he heard the yawn. When the call disconnected, Blaine sat his phone back on the countertop and stepped in the shower. He stood under the spray for ten minutes, letting the warm water massage his body. When he was done, he stepped out, dried off, and put on an old pair of McKinley gym shorts before crawling into bed. After he pulled the covers over his shoulders, it didn't take long and he was asleep.
Blaine slept the next morning until 10:30 that morning. It was the first time in years he had gotten a solid eight hours of sleep. He was usually lucky if he managed to get in five. The first thing he did was reach for his phone and called Kurt. Blaine figured Kurt would be at work, but he had promised him last night that he would call.
"Good morning, sleepyhead. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me," Kurt said with a smile in his voice, but Blaine could also just make out a little bit of concern as well. He had seriously thought Blaine had forgotten about him.
"Nope, I just woke up. And Kurt? How could I ever forget about you?" Blaine asked, sitting up and pushing to blankets off so he could get out of the bed. Blaine walked over to the window and pulled the curtains back, looking down at the sites of Geneva.
"I don't know," Kurt said with a small laugh. "So what are you up to today?"
"Well, I have to have a meeting with Tina sometime this morning, and then we have an interview with some TV station. I'm not really even sure what I am supposed to be talking about, yet another reason to meet with Tina," Blaine said. He was not looking forward to his meeting with Tina.
"I'm sorry, Blaine. I feel like that is all my fault," Kurt said softly.
"Kurt, this is in no way your fault. There are some things she and I need to work through. I have let some things slide in the past, but this time I can't," Blaine answered. "So, are you already at work?"
"Yeah, I have been here since seven this morning. I'm trying to get everything taken care of before I head back to London on Wednesday. We have a lot we need to try to get done," Kurt answered back, sounding tired.
"Do I need to let you go?" Blaine asked, not ready to hang up, but he knew Kurt was at work and had a lot to get done with only a short window of time to get it done in.
"No, I was just about to take a coffee break anyway. Hang on a sec, Blaine," Kurt said.
"Wait. What?"
"What do you mean André is here?"
"Did he say why?"
Blaine heard Kurt laugh then. He could only hear Kurt's side of the conversation, but from what he could make out, Kurt's boss André Baptiste had shown up in Paris and surprised Kurt. André Baptiste, whom Kurt had admitted to dating at one time, was now with Kurt, in Paris, and Blaine was stuck in Geneva. He just really wasn't sure how he felt about that.
"Blaine I'm sorry, I need to go, André is here and is wanting me to meet him at his hotel to go over a few things," Kurt said, already sounding a million miles away. "Can you call me tonight before you go on stage?"
"Why does he want you to go to his hotel instead of meeting you at the shop?" Blaine asked, really not liking the sound of Kurt going to another man's hotel room.
"Oh, he never comes to the shop. I always have to meet him somewhere else. He says that if he comes in, he ends up spending more time than he planned," Kurt answered as he stood and gathered what he would need to take with him. "Listen, I need to go. I'll talk to you later ok, love you."
Blaine didn't get a chance to respond. Before he could even say 'I love you' back, Kurt had already disconnected the call. Trust, Blaine told himself. He had to trust Kurt if their relationship was ever going to work. Blaine had to trust that Kurt loved him, that he wanted to be with him, that he wanted to be in this relationship as much as Blaine did. If not, then they had nothing, and he wasn't ready to believe that.
With a sigh, Blaine got dressed and headed to the conference room the hotel had agreed to let him use. Yes, Tina was his friend, and he could have just had this meeting in his room. However, since this was business-related, Blaine felt like this conversation needed to be held in a more professional setting. Not looking forward to this at all, Blaine pulled out his phone. He had a few calls he needed to make.
"Morning, Tina. I'm on my way down to the hotel conference room. Could you meet me there in about thirty minutes, please?" Blaine asked when she answered.
"Blaine, is there a problem?" Tina asked. Blaine could hear the nervousness in her voice. This would be the first time they had a meeting like this anywhere other than in his room or hers. She must have realized this talk would be more official.
"We just have some things we need to discuss this morning," Blaine answered, not wanting to have this conversation over the phone.
"Blaine, can't we just discuss it now?" Tina asked. Blaine could tell now that her nervousness seconds ago had turned to fear. He hated making Tina nervous, but this talk needed to happen.
"Tina, thirty minutes in the conference room, please," Blaine said before disconnecting the call. His next call was with his manager. Blaine was dialing the number as he walked into the conference room, half expecting Tina to be there already.
"Jack, hey, it's Blaine. I have some things I need to go over with you," Blaine said once his manager's assistant had patched him through. Blaine explained everything that went on last night and explained the original song he had performed.
"Although I wouldn't recommend you performing your original songs like that, there is nothing in your contract forbidding you not to. You broke no agreement by doing so. I, however, will strongly advise you against doing so in the future. If one of your fans records one of your original songs before the label does, there will be no real way to prove it is yours. Once the label has recorded it, it falls under their copyright protection," Jack explained.
"Ok, I get that," Blaine said, he would typically have not done something like that, but Kurt had been there and that song had been written just for him. Blaine had felt the need to perform it as another way of letting Kurt know just what he meant to him. Was it stupid? Possibly. Would he do it again? In a heartbeat. Yes, it might have been careless, but Blaine had just felt the need to do it then and there. "Ok, what do I do about Tina?"
"To be honest, I'm surprised it took you two this long to clash. Blaine, Tina is your friend, and from what you have said, she has been for years. Sometimes when you have a friend working for you, the line between professionalism and friendship becomes blurred. They sometimes forget that you are not only their friend but also their boss. They will sometime say things that as a friend could just be overlooked, but as their boss, they are crossing a line. That is why I was hesitant when you said you wanted to bring her on as your personal assistant. I could tell talking to her for about five minutes that she had strong feelings for you." Jack took a second to formulate his next few sentences. It would potentially be a difficult thing for Blaine to hear and process.
"I understand you're gay, and nothing would have ever happened between the two of you. I could tell that even after all the years she has known you, Tina somehow hopes you will change your mind, that she can be what you need somehow. I can't tell you what to do with her, Blaine. That's a decision only you can make. But if you opt to let her continue to work for you, there needs to be a change in how you deal with each other during working hours. There needs to be more structure in your working relationship. When you are doing a business-related task, you are her boss only. Friendship needs to be left outside the door. She needs to be treated the way any other member of your team is." Jack hoped that Blaine took into consideration everything he was saying. It wasn't that he wanted Blaine to get rid of Tina, but he did want things to run smoothly for his star. If Blaine's focus was split, he wouldn't perform optimally. Nor would it be good for his overall health. Yes, Blaine made him money, but Jack also cared about him as a person.
"If today doesn't go well, and I opt to let her go home, what all is involved in that. Do I have to let the label know since I guess she technically works for them?" Blaine asked.
"No, her only working capacity for the label is as your personal assistant. The only reason she was brought in was that you wanted her to be. When that agreement ends, her relationship with the label ends. She is there only because you wanted her to be. If you no longer want her there, that is up to you," Jack answered.
"One moment," Blaine said when he heard a knock on the door. Tina was ten minutes early, Blaine thought with a smile, and then let it slide off his face. Just like Jack said, friendship/business separation. "Ok, Jack, Tina is here for our meeting. I will get back with you later to let you know how everything went."
"Ok, let me know if I need to bring someone else in. Good luck, and remember what we talked about," Jack said before disconnecting the call.
Blaine got up and opened the door for Tina. "Come in and have a seat," Blaine said, motioning her in and pointing to one of the chairs in the room, only then did he notice Sam.
"Is there something I can help you with, Sam?" Blaine asked, realizing how he had always acted around them. He had never acted like their boss. Blaine had always just been their friend. He did treat them differently than any other member of his crew, so he was just as much at fault in what happened with Tina as she was. Blaine had allowed the lines to be blurred between their working relationship and their friendship. Lesson learned.
"No, Tina just said she was having a meeting with you, and wanted me to come with her," Sam said, walking into the room and slouching down in one of the chairs.
"Sorry, Sam, but I need to have a private conversation with Tina," Blaine said.
"I don't mind him being here," Tina said hopefully.
"This is a business conversation between you and me, and I do mind," Blaine said, using a voice he had never used before. The voice of her boss.
"Oook," Sam said with a funny look on his face. Blaine had never acted like that before.
"I'll get with you later, Sam," Blaine said, holding the door open for him, and then shutting it behind him.
"Tina, please sit down," Blaine said again when he noticed she was still just standing there. Blaine waited until she finally sat down and sat in the chair across the table from her.
"Ok, Tina," Blaine started, wanting to get this started and over with. "You are my friend and have been for years. You have been there for me more times than I can count, and I love you for that, 'as my friend.' Last night, though, you crossed a line. If another one of my employees had talked to me the way you did, they would have already been sent packing. You yelled at me in front of every member of my crew, and that will not be tolerated. I know I am partially to blame because I have always treated our professional relationship the same as I have our friendship. After yesterday, I realized I was wrong in doing so. We have no structure in our working relationship, and that ends now. During business hours, while we are working in a professional capacity, I am your employer only. You don't yell at me. You don't tell me I did something wrong. You come to me as my personal assistant, and we discuss it professionally." Blaine took a much-needed breath and continued.
"I understand that you have strong feelings about Kurt being back in my life, I do. You saw the damage that was done first hand. I love him, and we are trying to work 'us' out. Yes, he cheated on me, and yes, some ugly things were said between us. You have to also remember that I cheated on him as well. It doesn't matter who cheated first. We were both guilty. Professionally, and as my friend, I need you to back off. You don't have the right to yell at him the way you did. As my friend, you have the right to be concerned, and I appreciate that. But don't push it, Tina. I will not lose him again." Blaine said.
"So, what now? Do I still have a job?" Tina asked, sounding concerned.
"Yes, you still have a job. I still need you, Tina. I don't know of anyone else I would trust to do what you do. But you need to understand that if something like that happens again, you will be fired. This is your warning. Are we clear?" Blaine asked.
"I understand. Can I ask you something as your friend?" She asked concern back on her face.
"Of course. Tina, any time we are not together in a professional capacity, you can talk to me like you always have," he answered.
"Are you really sure about Kurt? Blaine, you were devastated the last time. Are you sure you can trust him with your heart again?" Tina asked, and Blaine could tell her question was coming from a place of concern.
"I have never been more sure of anything in my life. Tina, I love him just as much now as I always have. My feelings for him have never, nor will they ever change. I know Kurt and I have a lot we need to work through, but I feel confident about us this time," Blaine said. "We have both grown up and seen what life without each other is like. I never want to live through that again, and neither does he."
"Ok, if you are sure Blaine, then I am happy for you. I'll stand by you. Question though, how are you guys going to do so much long-distance? It didn't seem like you guys could make the distance between Lima and New York work," she asked the only question that still had Blaine concerned. He knew he was willing to work for his relationship with Kurt, but as she said, there was a lot more distance between them now than there ever had been, and when they had tried it before, they had splintered.
"It is something I am willing to work for, fight for, more than ever. I let my insecurities in Kurt's love guide me before. I will never do that again," Blaine answered. He was sure of this fact alone if nothing else.
Blaine's resolve was severely tested later that day. He tried several times to call Kurt and sent multiple texts, only to hear nothing. Blaine's mind started thinking about Kurt going to André's room. Blaine was working with his band, trying to hammer out the show they would be doing tonight. Every location, they tried to make the setlist a little different than the ones before. Blaine had several fans that followed them from venue to venue, and he always wanted every show to be unique for them. In between songs, in between working on particular choreography, Blaine tried and failed to reach Kurt. He kept fighting himself not to go back to the dark place he had gone when Kurt had first moved to New York and had stopped answering or returning Blaine's calls.
Kurt finally called Blaine, when he was right in the middle of the interview he had been requested to do, and couldn't answer his phone. Blaine had Kurt's ringtone set back to "Blackbird" the way it had always been in high school. When his phone started playing that song, he knew instantly who was calling, but also knew he couldn't answer it. With a smile of apology and a soft sigh of regret, Blaine pulled his phone out of his pocket, put it on mute, before placing it on the chair beside him. Blaine forgot to take it off mute.
After the show, Blaine had his usual meet and greet. This was the first time in a long time, he hadn't picked someone out of the audience and had them brought backstage to meet him. That made Blaine smile. He no longer needed to do that to meet new people. The only person he would ever need was back in his life again. And Blaine couldn't be happier.
