A/N I don't own Glee, obviously. I only own my OCs here, and that's it. blah blah blah. Not much to warn about, except that I'm hoping there aren't too many mistakes. If so, they're all mine, don't lynch me.

Thank you guys SO much for all of your comments after the last chapter. It was hard to write, really, and I've come to consider these guys friends, so it hurt me to watch it all unfold too! Ugh... Anyway, here's a bit...I wanted to write a little more, but I don't know when I'll get time to do that, so I thought I'd give you what I have.

To all the new readers and followers...I'm so glad to have you on board! I always try to send everyone a welcome message, but this last chapter seems to have attracted a lot of new people...and I'm overwhelmed. Thank you! so much, for hanging in there with me. Hugs, guys! K

CHAPTER 47

12:17p from Hunter: Lunch? Or are you too busy being the next big thing in fashion?

12:18p from Kurt: Starving, so yes, and shut up, no! lol

12:20p from Hunter: Meet me at the deli down from your place at 12:30?

12:21p from Kurt: See you then.

Kurt tucked his pins and measuring tape away and headed for the bathroom to check his hair. He'd skipped breakfast since he'd overslept and gotten right to work. Now he was famished. He grabbed his keys and wallet and went to the front door, hearing voices in the hallway. There was a time this would have really scared him, but he was getting a grip on things these days, and he simply glanced out the peephole to see who it was. Sebastian was coming up the steps and Blaine was coming out his door at the same time. Kurt stepped into the hallway as well.

"Kurt!" Blaine squeaked, happy to see his boyfriend.

"Hi sweetie. I'm heading out for lunch, would you like to come along?" Kurt answered.

"Can't, but thank you for the invite. Are you going alone?"

"Nope, I'm meeting Hunter for a sandwich. Perhaps he'll have some hot gossip for me from the fashion world?" Kurt replied, giving Sebastian a sideways glance. He was proud to be able to keep the sneer from his face around that meerkat these days.

"Tell Hunter I said hello?" Sebastian asked, a little less snark than normal in his tone.

"Depends on his mood, Sebastian. If he's in a great mood I don't want to bring YOU up and ruin things." Kurt hurled back at him as he descended the stairs, Blaine on his heels. Seb didn't reply.

The door closed behind them and they hit the sidewalk at the same time, Blaine heading the same way as Kurt.

"Where are you going?" Kurt asked, since Blaine had clearly said he wasn't going to lunch with him.

"Heading to the Dive for a staff meeting. I didn't realize I was 'staff' but Mac wants everyone there. Says it's important, so I should go I guess." He smiled. "I'm honestly afraid to run into Nick, though, after talking to Jeff yesterday. I don't know what's going on with them yet, but from the sound of things, it isn't all roses."

"I hate to see them going through a bunch of shit this early in their relationship. It doesn't seem fair. You wait all your life to find someone you truly care about and something or someone steps in to ruin it and yank it out from under you. That sucks, really, when you think about it." Kurt said, sadness in his voice.

"I've been trying really hard not to." Blaine replied, giving Kurt a pointed look. "…think about it, that is…" He'd basically gone on the interview yesterday and been less than his normally cordial self. He wasn't rude, but he wasn't 'on his game' either, and he had thoughts of self-sabotage at some points.

"Are you working tonight?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah….working tonight, off tomorrow. Wanna hang out tomorrow night? Go somewhere, do something?" Blaine asked.

"Absolutely! Here's me…" Kurt trailed off, seeing the deli sign on the sidewalk with the day's specials written in chalk. Blaine glanced inside and saw Hunter already seated in a booth and gave an enthusiastic wave.

"I'll call you later, then. Have a good lunch." Blaine grinned, and backed up a step or two, unsure how he should leave things, when Kurt surged forward and dragged him into a heart stopping kiss right there on the sidewalk. He pulled away, slowly, as Kurt did and still had his eyes closed, smiling. His heart was pounding from the kiss. "Wow….I think it's a damn good thing we're parting ways here, or things could get embarrassing on the street, Kurt!" Blaine laughed.

Kurt grinned as well, then leaned in for a hug and whispered in Blaine's ear "I love how you taste…" then turned and walked into the deli without another word. Blaine was pretty sure he still had feet at the bottom of his legs, but they wouldn't seem to listen and didn't move an inch. He saw Hunter laughing at him from inside and finally managed to drift away, the biggest grin on his face visible for blocks.

"So Sebastian was coming in as I was leaving and asked me to tell you he said hello." Kurt said, casually, as he took a bite of his lunch.

"He's been leaving me messages here and there. He sounds kind of…off? Down…not himself. Did he seem ok to you?" Hunter asked, concerned.

"He seemed off. I told him I'd tell you he said hello if you seemed like you were already in a bad mood so I didn't mention him and ruin your good mood, and he didn't reply. He didn't say ANYthing back to me. That's not like him at all. He looked in good health, though, so maybe he just…um….maybe he misses you? Have you talked at all since you left that day?" Kurt asked.

"No…like I said, he's left messages. I refuse to answer when he calls, and I've listened to one or two, but I can't…I can't really listen with an open mind. I freak myself out wondering what he's going to say, like…what if he says 'just wanted to tell you I had a date last night and he made me come 3 times...' because that is absolutely something he'd do…." Hunter trailed off, sadness in his eyes.

"I don't think even Sebastian is that awful, Hunt…do you really think he'd do that? Maybe he really wants to talk; to work things out? Would you even want to?"

"I don't know, I really don't. It was two years of him constantly out of town, constantly telling me about all the hot guys at these functions he had to attend, constantly making me second guess our relationship. It's…it's just too much, Kurt. I'm only human." Hunter said quietly.

"What exactly does he do, anyway? I mean, I know you said he's out of town a lot, but I've never asked him, because that would require a civil conversation, and we both know I have no interest in that with him." Kurt grinned.

"I'm not really sure how much I'm allowed to say, actually." Hunter said, obviously turning over something in his head.

"What, is he a spy or something?"

"No!" Hunter laughed out loud. "He uh…he's part of the Executive Services Detail of the New York State Police, actually. He's security for the Governor. Where the Governor goes, Seb goes. No questions asked. I don't know much more than that…he's not really allowed to say, so he hasn't told me much at all. That's another part of our relationship that was difficult. On a whim he was up and gone without a word and I was just supposed to be ok with that. Then when I found out why, I was kind of freaked out, you know? I know there are guns all over his apartment, and I'm not really into all that. It doesn't sit well. I realize people need them for protection, but I've never fired one, myself, and it makes me really nervous when I'm there."

"Huh…." Kurt said thoughtfully. "Who'd have thought he had it in him? Certainly not me, that's for sure!"

"Yeah…he's kind of a man of mystery. Like, the way he's so toned and in shape? He has a black belt, I think. I know I've come in on him practicing and it's fierce! I sure as hell wouldn't want to run into him in a dark alley, that's for certain. But it's his job, I guess, to take care of another person and make sure that he's safe. I knew too many minor things, though, about him. Sure, I knew what he did, where he went to college, favorite team, the stupid things that didn't matter. I just felt like there were too many things I didn't know…mostly how he actually felt about him and me. You can only ask for an answer so many times and get nothing in return before you give up, I guess?" Hunter said sadly. He'd barely touched his food since Kurt brought up Sebastian, and now Kurt felt bad.

"I'm sorry I even said anything. You want something else? You haven't eaten much? Is that my fault?" Kurt asked.

"No…no, I'll eat. Just a lot on my mind I guess. OH! The reason I asked you here to begin with…" he grinned like a fool. "So I got invited to be arm candy for tomorrow night! I dare you not to be jealous!" Hunter laughed.

"Arm candy? For whom? And where are you going?" Kurt asked, suddenly all ears.

"Duh, Kurt, the Tony awards are tomorrow night! I'm walking the red carpet with Georgiana Dietrich! Her agent seems to think that my coloring suits her well, and has picked out my clothes and everything. Free night of fun for me, and I get to rub elbows with the big wigs!" he grinned.

"That's amazing! I AM jealous!" Kurt said, batting Hunter with a handful of napkins. "Wait….is she aware that…does she know you're gay?" Kurt said quietly.

"Ummm….no. But we're going to keep that little tidbit to ourselves a bit longer. That's the very last thing I want to deal with right now with my parents…especially with Seb and me…not….uh…." he trailed off.

"Yeah, I get it. No reason to poke the beehive right now, so why bother? Still, watch yourself! She may try to take advantage of your studly self!" Kurt laughed. "We all know you'll look good, no matter what they make you wear. Oh God, I hope it's not something awful, though." Kurt said, looking mortified. "And you have to tell me EVERYTHING and take pictures and selfies and post tweets and all that good stuff! Let me live vicariously through you for a night!"

"I'm sure you'll get an earful from David as well, though, right?"

"I guess…I'd totally forgotten actually, what with everything going on with work and Blaine and then my dad here visiting . I'm sure he'll watch and give me an earful of what he thought was 'disastrous faux fashion' as he calls it!' Kurt laughed.

"Kurt…David won't be watching! He's going! He's up for a Tony for Babylon. Where have you been, Kurt?" Hunter laughed at him.

"Busy I guess. I have 100 things going on in my mind at any given time. Oooooh! I wonder what David's going to wear for the red carpet?" Kurt said, sounding like an excited teenager. It took a few seconds for it to hit him and when it did, it hit him like a freight train. "Hunter….oh my God!" Kurt nearly yelled with a horrified expression on his face.

Blaine's meeting went well, and it was fairly short and to the point, thankfully. Mickey was lecturing the bartenders on the proper portion of alcohol in their drinks, not drinking on the job, no free drinks for friends and then grilling everyone on the merits of being on time and covering your shift if you couldn't fill it. He was none too pleased to see that Nick wasn't there, but Blaine explained that he'd had some personal issues come up overnight and that he would be certain to pass all of the information along.

The message he received last night, very late, from who he could only assume was Jeff, was cryptic. It stated only that he was leaving and heading home to take care of a few things, but to expect to hear from him shortly. The number wasn't one he was familiar with, and when he texted back he didn't get a response. Well, he'd just have to wait and see what happened. When he needed Jeff the most, he'd been there for him, and he had every intention of doing the same for his best friend, no matter what the cost.

He pulled the door to his building open and expected to hear only the hum of the equipment in the office on the first floor, but instead he heard a hysterical babbling from upstairs. Rounding the stairwell, he climbed it quickly to see Kurt pressed against the wall, his back ramrod straight, and looking almost as if he were having another panic attack. Oddly, Hunter was there with him and trying desperately to calm him down.

"Kurt! Babe, what's wrong…what happened?" Blaine said loudly, concerned etched in his features. "Did you touch him? Did you put your arms or hands around his neck?!" he nearly screamed at Hunter.

"No! No, I….he's just….David's suit and he's all ….I don't know what to do!" Hunter lashed back. Kurt was still babbling endlessly, shaking his head and trembling in the hallway.

"Kurt…keys. Give me your keys." Blaine said softly. Prying them from Kurt's fingers he unlocked the door and nearly dragged Kurt inside. "Ok, Hunter, start talking. What the hell happened?" he said, trying to get Kurt to sit, but Kurt was pacing the floor now from the window to the kitchen and then to the front door….then back to the window all over again.

"Oh my God, oh my God…David….what have you done!?" Kurt muttered to himself over and over.

"Ok, so we were eating lunch, and I told him I was arm candy for Giorgiana for the Tony Awards tomorrow night and we got to talking about fashion faux pas and what not, and then about David being up for an award and what he'd wear on the red carpet and then Kurt just FREAKED the hell out and started babbling so badly we just had to leave the deli. Somehow he managed to call David and plead with him, something about a suit or something, and David told him to suck it up and get used to it or some shit and now…he won't calm down. I don't know what to do!" Hunter explained.

Blaine was torn between wanting to strangle someone and wanting to just sit on the sofa and laugh. If he understood everything right, Kurt was having a melt down over nothing. Well….it wasn't nothing to Kurt, it was HUGE for Kurt, but it wasn't something physically or emotionally painful for him. Blaine had seen David in the suit, and truth be told, he looked absolutely fantastic. It fit him like a glove with just the right amount of sparkle and pizazz. A suit like that would make anyone look like a million bucks, and David was already a handsome guy. In 48 hours, Kurt Hummel would be a household name, and he was clearly freaking out about it.

"He can't do this….I'm not ready…maybe he doesn't have to say who dressed him? Maybe he can just avoid the interviews and ….oh my GOD, David…a little warning would have been nice….what am I going to do?! I'm …I can't…uuummmphhhh!" he said, throwing himself down on the sofa, his face in a pillow. Blaine couldn't hold it in any longer. He laughed long and loud, and Hunter seemed relieved to see him doing so, and so he joined in. The two were holding their stomachs laughing at Kurt's freak out when the door flew open and Sebastian strode in angrily.

"What the fuck is wrong with you people! Some of us don't want to hear your hyena like wailing all damn day!" he yelled. Hunter and Blaine snapped to attention, but unable to hide their grins as Kurt was still mumbling into the pillow. It seemed that Seb finally realized Hunter was there and snapped out of his awful mood.

"Hey, uh…hi. You haven't returned my calls or…anything." He said, looking sheepish.

"I don't intend to, Seb. We're no longer dating, remember. I told you what I needed and you were unable to make that happen. End of story." Hunter said softly…sadly. "I'm heading out, Kurt. I'll call you later, k? Thanks for lunch…" he said, then shut the door behind himself. Sebastian slipped out behind him.

"Kurt….Kurt, look at me, please?" Blaine begged for the fourth time. Finally the man removed his face from the pillow and looked at Blaine.

"I'm not ready!" he whined. Blaine laughed again, but pulled him into a hug.

"Babe….you're just nervous! I don' t know why, though. I mean, that suit is freakin' amazing, honey. Really, I'm not saying that because I adore you, I'm telling you that as someone who would see it on another guy and say 'hot damn, I gotta get me some o'dat!'" Blaine grinned. "The world's ugliest man could put that suit on and they'd usher him into a photo shoot for GQ, babe!" he laughed.

"He told me to suck it up and he laughed at me, Blaine!" Kurt whined again. "I asked him if he had something else he could wear…that I needed to go over it again, fit it again to make it perfect and he said it's already perfect and that I should suck it up and get used to hearing my name on T.V. I think I'm going to throw up, Blaine."

"You know what I think? I think we're going to watch the Tony's on TV tomorrow night, make popcorn and poke fun at everyone else's fashions that will surely be lacking next to the great and wonderful Kurt Hummel's couture. We're going to snuggle and laugh and choke as we snort over what people think is acceptable, and you're going to hear your name and be proud of what you did. Ok?" Blaine said, nudging him in the side.

Kurt looked tired and harassed, yet resigned. "Yeah…ok." He said, flopping back into the pillow.

"….don't understand this, Jeffrey. Why do I have to meet you clear across town at a hotel? This makes no sense to me. I'm your mother, take pity on your mother, Jeff." Caroline teased lightheartedly.

"Mom, I'll say it again. You know Nick still has people watching your house. He doesn't know yet that it's not necessary anymore. They can't see me here. They can't know I'm in Ohio. Just get here and we'll talk. I'll explain it all. Wait, I think I see your car pulling in now. I'm in the lobby, ok?"

"Ok, baby. Be right there." Caroline said, disconnecting the call. She strode into the lobby and met Jeff, a huge hug between the two, and then they went into the restaurant in the hotel for lunch.

"Tell me why you're here. And I want to know why Nicholas just called me in a hysterical panic asking where you were, too. Jeff, what's going on?" she asked, concerned.

"He…he did? Was he…upset? Did he sound upset like angry or upset like sad? You didn't tell him I was here did you?!" he said before he could stop himself.

"Jeff, tell me what's going on first, ok? And no I didn't tell him you were here." Caroline said softly, reaching over the table to touch Jeff's hand. That's all it took for Jeff to fall apart.

He started from the very beginning, leaving nothing out. He wasn't sure exactly what Nick had explained to his mom and Gram, but he didn't want any missing pieces. She was quiet the whole time, and her eyes went from interested to completely heartbroken by the time he was through speaking. She let out a long sigh and let her eyes fall closed, still holding Jeff's hand across the small table.

"Oh honey…." She began, but trailed off again, unsure of what to say. "You're sure there's no other way, Jeff?"

"Believe me, mom, I've spent so much time thinking about it, going over it again and again. He'll do whatever it takes to get me away from Nick, and he clearly doesn't care who gets in the way. I don't know what else to do, but I can't stick around for my own selfishness and watch him chip away at Nick and his family, let alone MY family, while he searches for something more evil that he can do to us. It's not fair to anyone, mom. I love him ….God, so much. And my heart is breaking into a thousand pieces, but I can't watch him lose everything because of his dad. I don't know why he took such a sudden dislike to me, but he did, and here we are." Jeff said, taking a deep breath and blowing it out.

"So what are you going to do now? You know you can always stay with Gram and me until they fix the apartment, right? Your stuff is still in your old room and…." She began.

"No...mom…I can't. I can't be here. My home is gone. My job is gone. I don't even know if I can teach anywhere anymore. If things went far enough that they think I'm some kind of sexual predator…well, who knows how I'll be received. And frankly, I don't hold any high regard for anyone at the school right now. From what I can tell they turned their backs on me and assumed I was guilty until proven innocent. David Duval has ruined nearly all that is good in my life and I don't want to be anywhere on his radar anymore. I need to disappear, and I can do that better in a big city."

"So you're going back?" she grinned.

"I said I'd have no contact with him, mom. I didn't promise any more than that." Jeff smiled. "I need to see for myself that he's ok. I'll be staying with Blaine trying to lay low for a while. I've taken everything out of my savings and checking account. I owe Nick some money, but I still have some to live on. I'll find something to make a little money, but right now, I just…I just can't do much more than that, mom. I hope you and Gram understand?" he said sadly.

"You know I'm behind you. You do what you need to do, and you know I'm always here if you need me. I love you, and I just want you to be happy. I just wish it could have been with Nick. I'm a good Christian woman, or I'd tell that man exactly what I think of him myself!" she said, getting angrier.

"Mom, you're sounding like Ms. Gulch!" Jeff laughed. "I'll be fine. I needed a vacation anyway. I won't be gone forever. You have the new phone number? It's one of those trac phones that you can throw away when you've used it all up I guess. Hard to trace. Or you can call Blaine if you need to get to me. Either way, you can reach me somehow, ok? If there is any trouble at all, I need you to call me, alright?" Jeff pleaded with her.

"I will baby, I will. Gonna miss you, you know? Gram will, too. I don't think I can eat, Jeffrey. I'm going to head home before I get all goofy and start bawling on you. You know how emotional I am." She said, tears already forming in her eyes.

"Yes, I'm well aware. I blame you every time I get all weepy and feel like a wuss!" he said, flinging his arms around her. "I'll call you when I get back there, mom. I love you."

"I love you too, baby."

Jeff walked Caroline to the doors of the hotel and gave her another hug before she left. He took his phone out and texted Blaine again, this time telling him to expect a delivery of boxes that David had mailed for him. He surely couldn't drag everything along on a bus with him. That being done, he returned to his room, packed up the few things he'd brought along and went downstairs to hail a taxi and head for the bus station. He had a long ride to New York ahead of him. With everything he'd had to accomplish since his arrival in the middle of the night, he'd been nonstop since his plane had landed and he was exhausted. Jeff just hoped he could sleep on the bus.

1:09p from Nick: If there is anything you don't want found on your office computers….anything at all, you need to remove it now. If there's anything you know about that you should have said something about before now, I suggest doing so.

1:10p from Nick: I need to come back to Chicago tonight. I know it's short notice, but if you could make time, I need to talk to you guys. New information has come up and I think it's only fair that I tell you myself. Eventually it'll concern us all.

1:10p from Steven: When and where?

1:12p from Nick: Mom's making dinner. 7:30 pm

1:13p from Alex: See you then / there. Nothing to hide / remove on my end.

1:15p from Robby: Even me? I don't have anything to do with work yet?

1:16p from Nick: Even you, and Bailey as well. Everyone, please.

1:22p from Danny: I'm in. See you there. I'm clean.

1:47p from Bailey: Can't wait to see you Nick.

1:50p from Robby: You know Dad's out of town, right? There's no way he'll be here.

1:52p from Nick: Lucky for him.

2:17p from Blaine: You missed the meeting today. Mac was pissed. I gave him an excuse.

2:19p from Nick: Thanks for making my excuses. I didn't even see the text about the meeting until it was too late to get there. What's up?

2:20p from Blaine: The same ol'. Watch the alcohol, no drinking while on the clock, no free drinks for friends, and cover your shift at all costs.

2:22p from Nick: Fuck….well, I'm screwed then. I can't come tonight. I have to go to Chicago.

2:24p from Blaine: I'll call Puck and see if he can fill in. When are you back?

2:26p from Nick: I don't know. I'll call you if I won't be back for work. I have a lot of things to handle, and my dad is the biggest of all. I'm not sure how welcome I'll be with my family after tonight.

2:28p from Blaine: I wish I knew how to help.

2:30p from Nick: Help me by telling me where Jeff is? I need him, Blaine.

2:31p from Blaine: I honestly have no idea where he is, Nick. But if he asks me not to say anything, please understand. He's my best friend, and I can't do that to him. I don't know what's going on, but I do know that he loves you. Keep the faith, my friend.

2:34p from Nick: I know you'll be speaking to him. Tell him I love him, I'm not angry, and I'm GOING to fix it. I can't live without him. I won't.

2:35p from Blaine: When / if I speak with him, I'll pass it along. Hang in there.

"Kyle, this stuff is nothin' but a pile o' shit!" Irene ranted to her son. "Ain't no reason to even bother keeping any of it, 'cept the piano. I don't know how the hell we're gonna get that thing outta here. I don't know if it's even worth it."

"Mom, you need to decide what you're going to do before I start on all this work. You've been back and forth ten times on keeping it, then selling it, then back again!" Kyle said, frustrated.

"I'm an ol' woman, boy. I don't know what the Sam Hill I want for lunch, let alone if I wanna keep this ol' place!" she snapped back "Just seems like, at my age, maybe I should be tyin' things up, not adding to my workload. More tenants? I dunno….."

"Hey Kyle, Mrs. Raymond!" Blaine greeted them at the top of the stairs. "I thought I heard voices up here. How are you?"

"Just fine, just fine, Anthony. How are you enjoying your place?" Irene asked him.

"I love it, I really do. I love the neighborhood, and as long as Sebastian's gone, it's really quiet. I couldn't ask for more, really." Blaine told her. "What's going on up here? Not problems, I hope?"

"No, we're just looking around. We tossed around an idea to take this whole floor and make it a couple of efficiencies and a couple of regular apartments, but mom's not sure she wants to go to all the work and expense at 'her age', you know, since she's clearly on deaths door." Kyle snarked.

"Shut yer pie hole, you ungrateful shit!" she countered. "I'm healthy as a horse, I just don't want to spend my golden years with all this stuff going on. I have other things to do. With the market as bad as it is, though, who knows how long it'd take to unload this building!"

"So you're considering selling it?" Blaine asked, his curiosity sparked. He wondered if they did sell if he'd have to move out? And Kurt too?

"Maybe, maybe not. Who knows. So much junk up here, though. No matter what we do, it's all gotta go. Should just pull a dumpster up outside the big window over there and chuck it all out!" she ranted.

"Oh God, you're not getting rid of the piano, are you?" Blaine asked, alarmed.

"That thing's gonna have to stay with the building until they bring a wrecking ball to it. It's so big and heavy ain't nobody gonna wanna move it, that's for sure! I hope whoever lives up here likes to play!" she cackled. Blaine was more intrigued. "How's jackass faring these days? You two still claiming to be brothers?"

"Uh, yes ma'am. He's doing well. I haven't spoken to him in a few days, but he has a new girlfriend and he seems quite content with her…this week." He trailed off.

"And that Hummel boy? Looks like he's about 17, don't he?" she laughed merrily. "I'm sure you got your eye on him. You'd be a damn fool not to!"

"I…uh…yes, actually, I've had my eye on him for a while now." Blaine smiled. Kyle looked interested. "We um...we've been out a couple of times together. I like him quite a bit, actually." Blaine said, blushing.

"Well, if that falls through, you can always fall back on that weasely one downstairs. What's his name? Samantha? Anyways, he can't be all that bad in the sack with as many men as I've seen comin' and goin' outta here. In fact, I'm pretty sure Kyle, himself, could tell you if…"

"MOM! NOT appropriate conversation material, PLEASE!" Kyle barked out, sending his mother a glare. Blaine was intrigued. Seb and Kyle? Hmmmmmm…who knew? Blaine wondered if that was a recent development or old news? He raised his eyebrows at Kyle and the other man blushed and ducked under the eaves to check on the ceiling. Anything to get away after that.

"Well, I have things to get back to. It was good to see you both." Blaine said cordially.

"You too, Anthony. It's always nice to see your perky little ass and those luscious eyelashes!" she grinned. "C'mere so I can give you a good grope!" Blaine hesitated, grinning, until he realized she was serious. With a glance at Kyle, who was no help at all with his smirk, Blaine leaned over and hugged Irene, hoping to avoid the grope, to no avail. "Yep, that there's a fine ass if I ever did see one…." She trailed off, sorting through another box as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

6:50p from Blaine: I've been groped by an old woman. I don't know how I feel about that.

6:51p from Kurt: Um…what?

6:51p from Blaine: Mrs. Raymond grabbed my butt and squeezed it, then went back to what she was doing as if it happened daily. I think I'm traumatized. It was like she was testing to see if her pot roast was done L

Blaine heard the bark of laughter from Kurt's apartment through the walls, and snickered to himself as well.

6:52p from Blaine: Work beckons. I'll call you later. Xo

6:53p from Kurt: Have a good night. Bring down the house. Xo back at ya! And I'll be cashing those x's and o's in soon!

The air was so tense you could slice it up with a knife and serve it. Nick had dinner with his family, refusing to discuss anything until they'd all eaten. Afterwards, he helped his mom clean up the kitchen and then they all settled in the living room, patience running thin.

"Honey, where's Jeffrey, why didn't he come with you?" his mom finally asked.

"Yeah, I didn't even get to meet him last time before you guys high tailed it outta here!" Bailey complained. Nick was quiet for a minute, afraid to answer. He wasn't sure if his reply would come out angry or hurt. Deep breath, Nick… he told himself.

"Um….Jeff isn't with me because he left. For good." Nick managed to get out.

"What?!" his mother exclaimed, upset. The others were the same, all asking what had happened and expressing their concern. Nick wasn't able to speak without choking up, so he pulled out the envelope that Jeff had left him and emptied the contents on the coffee table. He picked up the cell phone, opened the messaging app and scrolled back to the beginning of the text messages from David Duval, then handed the phone to his oldest brother. Everyone crowded around Steven on the sofa, Meredith leaning in from behind and Bailey literally straddling his back to read over his shoulder.

As they scrolled down, he saw the surprise, then the upset, and finally the anger on each and every face. He knew those looks…they'd appeared on his own face when he first read them all. Then he read again…and again, until he was so furious he nearly shattered the first thing he got his hands on.

Alex reached out and picked up the ripped paper and slid the puzzle pieces back together on the table revealing the check his father had left for Jeff. Knowing Jeff had left it made Nick's heart soar. Never did he think Jeff would leave him for money, but having it here in front of him as proof to his family that Jeff was an upstanding guy….well, he needed it.

He told them about the email Jeff received about his job, and then about the fire at his apartment. They were all stunned into relative silence.

Nick found himself clutching the note Jeff had written him, and when Steven eyed it curiously, he held it closer to his chest and shook his head. But, needing them to know what happened, he slowly handed the letter to Steven and got up from his chair to walk away. Speaking at all right now was an impossibility, so he paced the floor.

There was barely time for her to have finished reading over her brother's shoulder before Bailey burst into tears and ran for her bedroom, slamming the door. Nick was well aware what she was thinking, and he couldn't blame her for being upset.

"Nick…" Alex began, but couldn't find words to continue.

"Nicholas, I'm….I'm absolutely stunned and….honey I'm so sorry." His mom said sadly, tears in her eyes. "I can't understand….why…why is he doing this?"

"He gave me a direct order and I didn't obey it. He's flexing his muscles now, and he's going to do what he wants to get his way…to make me bow down. I'm not asking for anyone's permission. I'm not asking you to stand with me if you don't feel the urge. I'm not here to apologize for what I've set in motion. I'm here to tell you that you need to steer clear, because I'm taking him down." Nick said, a note of finality in his voice.

"He knew when he brought me into the company that it wasn't what I wanted to do. I felt obligated, though, so I stayed. I figured I'd do my time and then find something else and leave quietly. He couldn't argue, right? Well, it wasn't long before things began crossing my desk that really rather unnerved me….things that weren't on the level…things that sounded ominous…things that were just plain illegal. He did these things, and he included us in them, not considering the consequences of his actions if he were to get snagged in a mess. He'd take us down with him." Nick stated firmly.

"Well, I'm not going down with him. From what I understand, there are documents here that can completely shut this business down and put us all in jail. He can't possibly be thinking clearly. He's come unhinged and he's a danger to himself and everyone around him. I had someone holding all the information I could gather, and I've asked him to act on it. That was my reason for telling you to remove anything you didn't want found. I hope we can still get out of this unscathed." Nick said sadly.

"But Nick…he's our dad!" Robby yelled accusingly.

"You're right, Robby, he is our dad. Maybe you should ask our dad why your application to Princeton was denied? Maybe you should also ask him about the reasons Melissa suddenly found you 'unsuitable' last year when she hightailed it out of town?"

"What does that have to do with anything? We're talking about…..?" Robby said, falling into a chair, the confusion on his face immediately wiped away and replaced by curiosity…and then anger.

"I can't begin to tell you what he's done to shape our lives, and not in the ways that you'd hope. There's not a one of us that he hasn't taken the liberty to 'reshape' the way he saw fit by ignoring our wants and needs and doing what he wanted instead. Not even you, mom." Nick told them sadly. "Either we take this opportunity to say 'here's what we've found and we'll fully cooperate…we didn't know' to the authorities, or we risk being dragged down with him. I don't know about you guys, but I know I have things to do, and they don't include jail time. I think you better sit down and look over all of this stuff. Each and every one of you has been affected by it, and I don't think you're going to be happy with what you see here."

Talk about an understatement…..

The bus ride was 14 hours with one transfer. Jeff was tired, sore and hungry when he arrived at Blaine's building in the middle of the night and climbed out of the cab. He paid the driver and walked inside the building, thinking how it hadn't been so long ago that he was here. It felt like only yesterday, actually. Trudging up the steps, he dropped everything outside of Blaine's door and knocked softly, knowing it was late and not wanting to wake up the whole building. No answer. He called Blaine's phone and after 5 rings, which he could faintly hear from the hallway, a sleepy Blaine picked up.

"h'lo?"

"B…it's me. Will you let me in?" Jeff said quietly.

"Yeah…yeah, just call me when you get here and I'll…" he trailed off, falling back into slumber.

"I'm here, B. I'm in the hallway now." No reply. When he heard snuffling on the other end, he raised his voice a little to get Blaine's attention, to no avail. After knocking several more times, he almost gave up when a sleepy Sebastian whipped his door open and gave him a questioning glare. Well shit….

"Blondie, it's fucking 4 a.m. I have to work early, or I'd haul your fine, perky ass in here and have my way with it. So do me a favor and hold it down?" he growled.

Jeff was so tired. He just wanted to collapse, and that lay mere feet away in Blaine's apartment, but just out of his reach.

"He's sleeping…he won't wake up and answer the door." Jeff mumbled out, barely able to keep himself upright on his own two feet anymore.

"Shit…." Seb muttered, running a hand through his sleep mussed hair, and then turning to go back into his apartment. Something rattled and he came back out nudging Jeff out of the way. Flipping a few keys on his key ring, he slotted one in Blaine's lock and clicked it open, pushing the door in for Jeff. He gave Sebastian the raised eyebrows as if to say "really, what the hell, man?" but Seb just shook his head and walked back across the hall.

"The fine piece of ass that used to live here was HOT, babe…..HOT!" he smirked. "We had a 'thing' sometimes when his wife was out of town…." He trailed off, turning to leave again.

"Sebastian….um….I'm not….you didn't see me here, ok? I uh…I don't want Nick to know I'm here, alright? Please?" he asked, sleepily.

"I didn't see you tonight and you have no idea how that door got unlocked, deal?" Seb smirked at him again.

"Deal, man….thanks." Jeff said, and closed the door. Finding the light switch, he shuffled into the spare room, closed the door behind him, dropped everything at the foot of the bed and collapsed on top of the covers fully clothed.

"So close, yet so far away, Nicky…." Jeff muttered in his half asleep state.