CHAPTER 73

"Hi, Baby, I was just thinking about you." Came Blaine's answer. Kurt could tell he was smiling and he smiled back, a smirk on his own face.

"Hi.." he breathed out. "I need to ask you something." He said without warning or pause.

"Anything, you know that. Shoot!" Blaine said enthusiastically.

"How long were you and Jeff lovers?" Kurt said, and he was met with a sharp intake of breath….then deafening, utter silence.

"Blaine?" Kurt said, needing to know if he was still there. "Unless you're going to tell me it was last week, I'm not angry. Not in the least bit, I want you to know that, ok?"

"Um…K-Kurt…." Was all Blaine was able to get out.

More silence and Blaine breathing like he'd be sick any moment. He coughed –probably from the earlier gasp- and Kurt was sure that he'd hear gagging at any moment…retching from the sudden realization that Kurt knew. Wow, this wasn't at all what he expected. Blaine was…upset…clearly.

"Honey… Ok, I'm sorry, that was unfair. I sprung that on you pretty fast." Kurt sort of giggled. Blaine did not. He definitely did not find it at all humorous. "And if I wasn't 100% sure before I called, I'm sure as hell certain of it now."

"I'm sorry…Kurt. I'm so sorry, I…." Blaine stuttered out again. "I sh-should have…but…but it's not…" He spluttered, his mind waving red flags and screaming. He couldn't seem to find words, and Kurt suddenly felt guilty for putting him on the spot.

"Ok, so just tell me when….how long ago, ok?" Kurt asked.

"D-Dalton…years ago….Kurt…." he said, pleading now, but Kurt cut him off.

"Blaine, I'll say it again, I'm not angry. It's infinitely clear that I've hit a nerve, and that wasn't my intention. I talked to Jeff tonight, about…about something, and in attempting to help me….God, he's such a good friend to you, Blaine. We need to talk about that, too….things you should know, but…I realized…his words were…geez, Blaine." Kurt said as he heard Blaine's breathing hitch on the other end of the line. "Ok, look, I was really overwhelmed with it, and I just didn't think before I called. Clearly you're freaking out, and I don't want that, so I'm going to hang up now, go grab some dinner, and let you diffuse a little. I'll call you in a bit, ok?" Kurt asked. Blaine didn't answer. "Blaine….I love you." He said quietly, then hung up, shaking his head.

When Jeff's phone rang and he saw that it was Blaine, he was sure he was calling back to make sure Jeff had talked to Kurt and to make sure he was alright. He had no idea what he was in store for when he answered.

"Dude, I talked to him and he's fine, ok?" Jeff smiled into the phone.

"J-Jeff…what the fuck, man. Wh-what did you say to him? Jesus Christ, a little warning would have been great!" Blaine yelled shrilly into the phone. Jeff was stunned. What had he missed?

"Uhh….I…what's wrong, B? I just left there, not 5 minutes ago. What could have possibly changed in the 5 minutes since I left?" he replied, a little angry at having been pounced on, especially when he had no idea why. "He was upset, and we talked about it, worked through it and when I left-"

"When you left…" Blaine bellowed, his nerves frayed, "Kurt immediately called me to ask how long we'd been lovers, Jeff! Jesus fucking Christ, what did you SAY to him?!" he yelled again, his hands shaking and his head spinning. Jeff was stunned.

"He what? He said that?"

"Listen to me, I would like to know what, exactly, he was upset about, what you talked about, and how you 'solved' it…and maybe make sense of why, suddenly, the love of my life knows about what happened between you and I at Dalton when we both agreed that it would never go past us…ever. Please don't leave anything out, Jeff." Blaine pleaded, voice shaky and upset. Jeff's eyes were wide now and he could clearly hear, in Blaine's voice, what he took for anger before…but it wasn't anger. It was definitely fear.

"Blaine, you of all people know that I wouldn't bring THAT up…I just wouldn't. I haven't discussed it with anyone since I told you, I haven't even told Nick about it…any of it. Although…come to think of it, I'm pretty sure Sebastian knows…." Jeff said, contemplating.

"SEBASTIAN KNOWS?" Blaine roared.

"Not about you and me, just about…me. About what happened. You know as well as I do that he probably dug into any and all information he could find on anyone in the building…he mentioned something a while back, and we didn't discuss it, but I'm pretty sure he's aware of it. I swear to you, I did not tell Kurt, and I'm not sure where it came from or why he thinks…or rather knows…now, but I surely didn't say anything! What did he say, Blaine?"

"He called me, I said 'Hi, Baby', like I always do, and he said he needed to ask me something and I said 'anything, go ahead…' and he said 'how long were you and Jeff lovers?' and I'm not ashamed to say I went into full panic mode and I think I actually gasped and then my mouth wouldn't work and nothing came out. It was horrible." Blaine said softly…sadly.

"That's…ok…but….did you tell him? What did he say about it? Was he angry? I didn't hear any yelling, Blaine, and we both know I'd have heard yelling."

"He said he's not angry, but he wanted to know when…how long ago. I told him…but I didn't tell him why or…or what brought it on…God….damn Jeff, I'm just a little crazy right now, man."

"Ok…ok, I get that. But focus on the fact that he's not angry. This all happened well before you two met, it has no bearing, whatsoever, on what you guys have. If you want, I'll go back over and talk to him…I'll tell him the truth….why it all went down. I don't know what I said, Blaine…I don't, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry if I….God, I don't know…if I…fuck! I don't have a clue where it came from, B!" Jeff said, his voice low and in a whisper yell, attempting to make sure Kurt didn't hear him. God damn thin walls!

"No…no, don't go back over. He said he was going to eat and he'd call me back. Jeff…you haven't told Nick?"

"No…no, I haven't. But I planned to….soon, actually. That's something I wanted to talk to you about, and now I sure as hell hope you're coming home this weekend?" Jeff said, ending it as a question. He needed his best friend for this, and he hated Blaine being out of town.

"I…no…I hadn't planned on it. I have class on Saturday until early afternoon. I was going to come home next Thursday night after class. With the show next Friday and all…." He trailed off.

"Oh….well, alright. It'll wait. Just…before my birthday, I need you here, ok? I need your help with something….important. I feel like you and I haven't had two minutes to talk for months, and…I mean, I know I have Nick and you have Kurt but you've always been my rock, B…my bro. I miss that." Jeff told him, and Blaine's heart nearly surged out of his chest. He missed Jeff, too. As much as he thoroughly enjoyed teaching the kids, he hated himself for taking the job out of town, even if only for 6 weeks. Six weeks was a long time to be away from the people you loved. He suddenly found a great respect for people in the armed services…and for that matter, anyone else who had no choice but to be away from their loved ones for any amount of time. It was brutal. "B?" Jeff said, and apparently not for the first time.

"Sorry…I zoned. I'll be home Thursday, Jeff. I'll make time…time for us to hang out." Then he chuckled nervously. "Normally I'd say 'surely Kurt won't mind if we hang out', but now all I'm going to think about is what he's thinking when we hang out. Oh my God, Jeff…." He trailed off. "You know I'm going to have to tell him, right? The whole story…the reasons why?"

"Please let me do it." Jeff asked, his voice ragged. Blaine hated that he'd made it so.

"I feel like I should be there, though…it won't be easy, Jeff."

"I need to. And yeah, I'd like for you to be here…but it won't wait until next Saturday, Blaine, and you can't do it Thursday night with the show on Friday. He'll freak the fuck out, you and I both know that! Just…this weekend. Tell him to please give me a couple of days. I'm going to have my mom send some stuff up here overnight…it'll help…maybe."

"I'm sorry I won't be there, man."

"In spirit…you'll be right by my side, as you always have been."

"Except when you needed me….except when it might have made a difference." Blaine said sadly.

"Kurt…."

"Are you ok, now, Blaine? I'm sorry…I really didn't mean to shake you up like that."

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, but…please hear me out. It's not my story to tell, and Jeff is going to …he wants to tell you himself, but….Kurt, I'm so sorry."

"Blaine, listen to me, please. Please stop telling me you're sorry. Ok, yes, it's a little bit odd. It's damn odd that you and Jeff…that you…that you were….ok, yeah, it's weird. Downright strange, freakin' ass weird." Kurt laughed.

"It was weird then, too. That's why it ended." Blaine finally chuckled.

"What were you two, like 16?"

"17. It was the fall of our Junior year, actually."

"But I thought you said you and Jeff were roommates during your Senior year?" Kurt asked.

"We were…Junior and Senior year. We've been friends since we were Freshmen, Kurt…we both had other roommates at Dalton the first two years, but we were paired up Junior year just out of luck. Senior year, they gave us the option of keeping our current roommates or going back into the lottery. We chose to stay together…only as friends. There are reasons, and….God, I just want to blurt out so many things and I just…I can't, Kurt. Please don't be upset." Blaine pleaded again.

"What's funny is that I probably have every right to be upset, but I'm not….and you are…more so than is probably necessary. I'm starting to wonder what's going on that's got you so uptight…baby, please, unless there's some big, deep, dark secret that you've been hiding, please calm down about it." Kurt urged. Blaine was silent. "Blaine?"

"It's not my story, Kurt. He needs to tell you…I can't."

"So, we're all set. I have off next Friday and through the whole following week. Tell me that works, for you, Coop, because it's all I could get on short notice. Everyone else in the office already has summer vacations booked out and we can't have everyone gone at the same time."

"Whatever days you have off, I'll make it work. Do you want to make reservations or do you want me to?" Coop asked.

"I'll check some places online. I know you said you've been there before. Do you have a favorite place to stay? Close to anything in particular?" Maggie asked.

"No, just find something kid friendly…preferably where they have their own suite of rooms adjoining ours and not on top of their beautiful, hot mama." He teased her. "And here….no, not a word, Maggie! I'm not even discussing it." He said, handing over the plastic. "Use my credit card for the room and that's that. It was my idea to go, and this is something I want to do for my fa-" he faltered. Family, Cooper, just say it, you know it's true. "For my favorite people." He smiled, the words nearly choking in his throat because it's not what he meant…not what he wanted so badly to say. Maggie watched him curiously, wondering why he suddenly tensed, but went on with her internet search for lodging in the area.

Hours later they'd settled on a place close to the boardwalk where there were plenty of things for kids to do. It was booked and paid for by Maggie with Cooper's credit card, albeit grudgingly. They would be gone for 5 days, from Sunday to Thursday of the week following Kurt's show. Maggie refused to miss it, and told Cooper she was certain Kurt would be over the moon if he'd attend. He rolled his eyes, figuring if he did, he might lose his man card, but he really liked Kurt, and they'd be related soon, he was certain, so he said ok when she said she'd get another ticket for him from Kurt. Truthfully, he was hoping for Kurt to achieve big things. He deserved it.

"So I was thinking about maybe hitting that new sushi place tomorrow night?" Nick said when he picked up Jeff from work on Friday. When Jeff didn't reply, he glanced over to see that he was completely zoned out, staring out the window in his own world. He'd been quiet most of the day, not answering Nick's texts right away, or at all, and when Nick gave that up and called him, he wasn't very talkative on the phone. "Jeff?"

"Hmmm?" He replied, turning to see Nick smiling at him as they sat in the city traffic that kept them from getting anywhere quickly.

"I've been talking and you've been staring." Nick grinned. "You've kinda been AWOL all day, babe, what gives? It's the weekend…you're supposed to be happy and carefree or something, right?"

"A lot on my mind, I guess."

"Anything you want to talk about? Anything I can help with?"

"Yes, and no. Actually, I know you're playing tonight, and I always go with you on Fridays, but…would you be too upset if I didn't go? I need a few minutes to just…settle. It's been nonstop go go go for weeks and I'm a little rundown, mentally and physically."

"Understandable, what with everything at work going on for the show next week and all that." Nick said, finally pulling up in front of Jeff's place. He took the turn and slid effortlessly into the parking spot alongside the building. Casting a longing glance at Jeff, he waited for his lover to notice, then leaned in and pecked him on the lips when he did. "C'mon. Let's just forget the reservation for tonight and order in something quick. We can watch a movie or whatever until I have to go…unless you want me to go now and you can just-"

"No! Oh, babe, no. Please, come up with me. I like that plan. I'll pack the last few boxes tonight and we can take them over tomorrow afternoon." Jeff said. If you still want me around after everything is out in the open. "Will you come back after the show tonight and stay with me?" Jeff said, leaning down to grab the Fed Ex envelope at the door of Blaine's apartment….well, his apartment…Trent and Thad's apartment really. This was getting ridiculous. "I really want to talk about some things in the morning…important things." Jeff said, distracted a bit by the envelope in his hands. He waved it a bit in front of Nick, getting his attention. "I had my mom send me some things I want to show you tomorrow…if you can spare a little bit of time?"

"If you want me here, Jeff, I'll be here." Nick smiled. "Although I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious now about the contents of said envelope. Is everything ok? Are you ok, Love?" He asked, his heart pounding a bit now that he was uncertain and recalling Jeff's demeanor all day.

"I'm ok, yeah. I have some things on my mind, though and I need to get them off my chest. Just be with me tomorrow? Please?"

"I'll be here after work tonight. We can talk in the morning." Nick assured him.

At 7:00 p.m., as Blaine was getting back from having had dinner with a few fellow staff members, he received a text from Eli asking him to go out dancing.

From Blaine: You can't be serious! You skipped out on work all week and now you just show back up and want to go dancing? No, Eli. I have papers to grade tonight because my T.A. dicked out on me all week!

From Eli: C'mon, Blaine, live a little! You're so uptight all the fucking time! *wink*

From Blaine: I have a lot on my mind, Eli, and I wish like hell I was going home this weekend. But I can't, because of class tomorrow, so I'm here, grading papers and worrying about things when I should be at home. Now I'm being harassed by YOU!

From Eli: So go home, I can take your class tomorrow. What's going on, anyway?

From Blaine: Personal things that need to be dealt with…and I really should be there to do it.

There was a long pause with nothing from Eli and Blaine thought he finally gave up, when his name blinked back up again.

From Eli: Cleared it with Kailey. I'll take the class tomorrow. Take the car and go home, but don't fucking wreck it, Blaine. I don't want to drive it if it's not perfect.

From Blaine: Are you serious? Just like that, you're doing ME a favor?

From Eli: Don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I feel badly for leaving you with all this shit to do all week.

From Blaine: What's the catch? I KNOW there's a catch.

From Eli: Lunch with me next week…twice.

From Blaine: You know I have a boyfriend. I'm with Kurt, Eli.

From Eli: Maybe I know this…maybe there's a damn good reason I took the week off, and an even better reason I'm tan as hell and well fucked after this week off? Maybe you slid to the back burner in favor of someone else.

From Blaine: Then why lunch?

From Eli: He needs to stay on his toes. If I take you to lunch across from where he works, he'll see me with you, and that works out well for me.

From Blaine: And that's it? Nothing more? No funny business?

From Eli: Dude! Take it or leave it, but let me know. I'm going dancing sometime tonight if I ever get off the damn phone with YOU!

Blaine didn't trust him, but if it got him out of class tomorrow AND a car to drive home, he was going to grab it with both hands…right after he confirmed with Kailey that she was ok with it.

What Blaine hadn't counted on was a massive accident on the interstate which cost him hours sitting in traffic at a standstill. By the grace of God, he'd thought to grab a couple bottles of water and a granola bar when he stopped to gas up the car, but he was still famished when he got back to the apartment. It was really late, or early rather, and in his desire to surprise Kurt, he hadn't called him to let him know he was coming. Truth be told, there were a few times, while sitting in the silent parking lot of angry drivers, that he considered getting to an outside lane and cutting across the median to head back to school. In any other car he may have…but not the school's car.

He hated the thought of waking Kurt, and he wasn't actually 100% sure he was even going to be home, but when he ran into Seb in the hallway, he counted it as a stroke of luck.

"Dude, just open the door for me? I don't want to wake him up. He doesn't even know I'm coming." Blaine pleaded.

"That's a damn shame, Blaine. When your lover can't even tell when you're coming, you're doing something wrong, man." Seb smirked.

"Babe…he's clearly tired. He said he's been sitting in traffic for hours, and you're just being irritating now." Hunter laughed. "Let the poor man in so he can grab some ass and get some sleep!"

"I'm only doing this because I know Hummel will be so happy to see you that he'll immediately want to fuck your brains out. Mr. Master of Decorum over here gets off on hearing other people go at it, so it works out for me, too." Seb smirked once again as he turned the key in Kurt's door. Hunter's eyes bugged out and he slugged Sebastian in the arm.

"I can NOT believe you just….Jesus, Seb!" he hissed.

"You know it's true, baby. Remember that night at your place when the people next door were slamming the bed against the wall so hard it knocked your pictures down? I don't think I've ever felt you come that hard before, and then-" Seb began, but Hunter slapped a hand over his mouth and dragged him away down the hall to their door.

"Christ, Sebastian! God, sorry, Blaine!" he hissed again, shaking his head this time and squeezing his eyes shut.

"Thanks, guys." Blaine said tiredly with a knowing grin, too exhausted to even join their crazy banter.

Blaine was quiet, moving inside the door and closing it with a soft click. He locked the door, set his stuff down, stepped out of his shoes and immediately hit the fridge hoping to find something…anything, he could inhale to settle his angry belly. Then it was Kurt time. He just wanted to curl up in his lover's arms and sleep. Apparently the morning would bring anxiety and tenseness, so tonight, he just wanted calm.

He poured a bowl of cereal, careful to be quiet and not wake Kurt. He thought of the text from Jeff earlier, while sitting in the damn traffic, that the envelope had come from Caroline and he planned to talk to both Kurt and Nick in the morning. He was asking if Blaine thought it would be ok to do it at the same time. He wasn't sure he could get through it twice, but he knew it would be 12 kinds of uncomfortable. At the time, Blaine was still considering turning around and going back, so his appearance in the morning would be a surprise to everyone present. He sure as hell didn't want Jeff to have to sit through it alone, though.

Sneaking into Kurt's room where he softly snuffled, Blaine shed his clothes down to his boxers and slipped in behind Kurt who murmured something as he felt Blaine's arm slide around him.

"Mmmmmhmmm…..ok, Blaine…." He muttered softly in his sleep. Blaine just grinned, still not willing to wake him. He just watched his face in the moonlight streaming in through Kurt's window and smiled lovingly at him. Kurt wrapped his fingers through Blaine's and nuzzled back into his chest a little more, his butt wiggling a bit into Blaine's crotch causing him to stifle a gasp as his whole body recognized "home" for what it was.

"Blaine…." Kurt mumbled again, guiding his lover's hand down to the front of his own boxer briefs and using Blaine's hand to palm his obvious bulge. "Mmmm, Blaine…." Kurt said again, still very asleep. Smiling, he let his hand be led and before long, Kurt was clearly in a state and wanted his help. Blaine kissed the back of his neck and let his tongue curl around Kurt's ear, whispering words of love and trying to fight the urge to grind into his lover. After all, any minute now Kurt could switch gears and fall asleep again.

"Love you…..just love you, Kurt…" he whispered. "Never wanna hurt you…"

"Mmmm…Blaine…no…no hurt.….B loves me…." Kurt muttered softly, Blaine barely making the words out, but smiling when he did. "B…. please…please…" he said, more urgent now, and the urge to settle Kurt, to love him, to set him free was too much. Blaine rolled him to his back and slipped between Kurt's knees sliding his briefs down in one motion, at the same time taking Kurt into his mouth.

The softness surrounding the steel that was Kurt was intoxicating. Blaine wasn't averse to Kurt sleeping through the whole tryst if it meant he wasn't disturbed and left sated. But the minute Kurt began to awaken was obvious when he grabbed a handful of Blaine's hair, ran his fingers through it, and tugged, one knee bending and the other hand fisting the sheets.

"God…oh God, I thought you were a dream…fuck…oh God…please Blaine, don't stop, don't stop, I'm so close already, baby please….please…..yes!….oh God yes…." Kurt babbled endlessly, his hips jolting up when he came hot and hard with a shout and more babbled words of bliss falling from his lips like a prayer. He watched Blaine with heavy eyelids, the curly head bobbing and milking him of every last drop, causing Kurt's eyes to roll back and his body to slump back to his pillows.

The thump on the other side of the wall, followed by a curse and a shout muffled by something unseen, made Blaine laugh and Kurt raise an eyebrow. Blaine just snickered, mouthing at Kurt's crotch wherever he thought he could get away with it.

"Wait for it…." Blaine whispered to Kurt who was clearly confused, yet blissfully so.

From the other side of the wall came a guttural cry of "Oh fuck! Oh…oh God…Hunter…Jesus Christ…yes…. fuck me! I'm coming baby…harder!" from a clearly shaken up Sebastian. A minute or so passed as Blaine continued to play around and then Seb's voice, harsh and ragged, after a soft knock on the wall.

"Thanks, Blaine, I owe you one….shit…."

Blaine just shook his head and laughed.

"Do I want to know?" Kurt asked, confused.

"Probably not, but I'll tell you anyway. Apparently Hunter has a kink for listening…to ah…someone else…plural someone's…and Seb takes advantage. Thankfully, that'll be a thing of the past once we m-" Blaine began, but caught himself just in time before blurting out "move upstairs".

"Once we…?" Kurt prompted.

"Once we practice a bit more and figure out how to be quiet!" Blaine laughed, eyes rolling as he crawled back up Kurt's body to snuggle him properly.

"So…do you want to tell me why you're here first, NOT that I'm complaining AT ALL, mind you, or do you want me to handle that weapon your jabbing me with?" Kurt asked, smirking in the moonlight.

"Hurry, baby, before they're ready for round two!" Blaine snickered, grabbing Kurt's hand and shoving it down to where he desperately needed the attention.

"Hey, B, you got a minute?" Cooper's voice, over the phone, sounded in his ear first thing Saturday morning.

"Goddddddd, Cooper, some people sleep past 8 on Saturday, and I'm one of them!" Blaine growled.

"Not today, you're not!" Coop laughed. "I need to talk to you about something important, though. Listen, are Trent and Thad taking your place or Kurt's place when you guys move upstairs?"

"Jesus, Coop….hang on, I'm laying here in bed with Kurt and I don't want to wake him up!"

"How are you….I thought Kurt came home this week? And you didn't?" Coop asked, confused.

"He's been home all week, and I wasn't going to be here this weekend but there's stuff going on I need to deal with, and I just needed to be here. I came in late last night. To answer your question, I thought they were going to take Kurt's place if I'm not mistaken." Blaine told him, whispering as he plopped down on the sofa in the living room. "Why?"

"Ok…well, that might work out perfectly. Can you meet me for lunch or something today? I have stuff I want to talk to you about?"

"I don't know…I have something going on this morning and I don't know how long it's going to take. Can we not decide on a time? I'll call you if I can go when this is all through?" Blaine asked.

"What do you mean IF you can go? What's going on with you guys? First Jeffie's callin' me for shit and now you're sneaking in late and being all cryptic. What gives? You guys in the mafia now?" Coop asked, laughing.

"Yeah, our dad's a crime boss, but he didn't want you to know, so you're out, dude, sorry. In fact, the business I have this morning it the hit he put out on you. Don't worry, I'm good at what I do. You won't feel a thing." Blaine deadpanned. "Can I go back to bed with my gorgeous boyfriend now?"

"Such a bitch, Blaine!" Coop whined, feigning annoyance. "Whatever, but I want to talk to you today, so do what you have to do and call me when you're done!" Cooper hissed, scrunching up his nose and he disconnected the call.

"So tell me why you're here when you said you weren't coming home. No wait…tell me it's because you missed me and just had to come and see me…you missed my body and my witty, sharp mind and all of the- oomph!" Kurt laughed as Blaine slugged him with a pillow, rolling his eyes. "Well, a guy can hope, right?"

"I missed all of those things…every one of them. But also…Eli texted me and wanted me to go out dancing-"

"Oh Lord, Blaine-"

"I said no, of course, and reminded him of my stunningly hot boyfriend-"

"I love you."

"I love you more…and then when I sort of reamed him for leaving me all week with no help, he…ok, I know you won't believe it, but he sounded contrite and he offered to take today's class AND to let me have the school's car to come home to you. They only had a test today, anyway, so it wasn't like he would have to actually 'teach' or anything. And he did sound sorry…. I know, I know, but apparently the reason he was gone was to hang out with some new boy toy, which is a good thing, right? He said I've slid to the 'back burner' and all I have to do is have lunch with him twice so that he can make this guy jealous-"

"Blaine! Lunch, twice? With the guy who wants to have you for lunch?" Kurt hissed.

"He doesn't want me, he wants this new guy. I guess he works at a restaurant in town and if we go across the street for lunch, he'll be jealous, whatever, it got me home to you where I so desperately wanted to be…because this morning will be rough on Jeff, and I didn't want to leave him with that. And on top of that, I needed to see your smiling face and hope and pray that you don't hate me for not being forthcoming about things with Jeff, because Kurt that was SO long ago and I don't want to trivialize it and say it meant nothing but seriously, you…Kurt, you are the love of my life and nothing before you meant a thing compared to what we have and I just want…I NEED for you to understand that it wasn't under an ordinary circumstances that-"

"BLAINE!" Kurt said, a bit too loudly, getting Blaine's attention. His eyes snapped up from where he'd been studying the pattern on Kurt's sheets while he rambled on forever. "My God, man, get ahold of yourself. I've told you, I will listen to this story you guys seem to think is so important for me to hear, but it's in the past...not even like 'last year' in the past, so it's really not something I have the right to get angry over. It's not as if I asked you and you lied to me about it, baby. Please, don't make me want to get jealous over something."

"There's absolutely nothing at all to be jealous of…you're mine and I'm yours, and I don't want anyone else, ever again. Just you." Blaine smiled.

"Good, because you're not getting rid of me, Anderson." Kurt said, leaning in to kiss Blaine soundly on the lips. "Now let's get ourselves together. Jeff said 'bright and early, I need to get this over with before I get an ulcer' so I think he's expecting us there soon." He said, glancing at the clock.

"Dude! You said you weren't coming home this weekend!" Jeff said, excitedly, as Blaine walked through the door with Kurt. He threw his arms around his best friend and hugged him tightly, needing his strength for what was to come.

"Yeah, I kinda changed my mind at the last minute. When you texted me yesterday, I was already driving home, but I was sitting in traffic from hell…like a damn parking lot, man, and I wasn't sure I was going to come if it didn't let up. I thought about turning around…." The look Jeff gave him screamed that he was really glad he hadn't gone back to Westindale.

Nick greeted them as well, reaching to grab Blaine's hand in a handshake, but Blaine grabbed him in a hug instead. Nick wasn't surprised at all, but the hug felt…desperate. That confused him, and he wondered what this conversation would bring. Kurt hugged him as well, smiling fondly. Inside, Kurt was hoping that the revelation that Blaine and Jeff had been intimate wouldn't throw Nick off too much. These two were way too good together for something like this to come between them.

"Ok, so let's get to it." Kurt said, breaking the odd silence that had settled around them. "Get yourselves a drink and let's sit down and hear what Jeff has to say, yeah?

They all did just that, Kurt and Blaine settling on the loveseat, hips together, and Jeff on one end of the sofa while Nick plopped down in the chair next to it, closest to him, reaching over to rest his arm on the arm of the chair and hold Jeff's hand.

"I don't mind telling you I'm kind of curious. You've been like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs for days now, Jeff, and it's making me worry about you. Dive right in, babe, because I think you'll feel better when you get whatever you want to say off your chest." Nick said.

Jeff gave Blaine a tentative look, and Blaine just nodded his head for him to go on. The blonde glanced up to Nick's eyes, hoping and praying that his next words wouldn't send his lover spiraling, or worse, running. With a deep breath, he began.

"Um…so Kurt and I were talking this week, about stuff…about things which are personal to him, and he asked for my advice about…something….and while in the process of talking it through, apparently I said something…my inflection…whatever…seemed to have given him the impression that…um…maybe at one time…in the past…the distant past…that um…Blaine…we were uhm…." Jeff paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"Jeff…do you want me to…?" Blaine asked softly.

"No…no I can…I need to-"

"Honey, are you trying to tell me that you and Blaine were intimate at some point?" Nick said, matter-of-factly, surprising them all. Jeff's eyes went wide, but he didn't deny it. Instead he looked ready to slump from the sofa to the floor. "Whoa, whoa…" Nick said, slipping next to him on the sofa and bracing his arm around his boyfriend. "Babe…I kind of assumed, because of the picture. In fact, I wasn't sure Blaine was even going to tell me who you were when I asked…because of how I asked. I thought maybe you were his even then…" Nick explained.

"Picture? What picture?!" Blaine exclaimed. "Jeff, there are pictures?!" he said nervously.

"What? No! I didn't…absolutely not. Oh God…" Jeff said, looking worse for wear now.

"No, guys, no…the picture on your lock screen, Blaine. The one I saw first, that night at The Dive when I was looking over your shoulder. Jeff and Blaine both scrunched up their faces in confusion.

"But that's Trent and Jeff and me….why would you have thought that we were together?" Blaine asked, confused.

"Do you still have it on your phone?" Nick said with a knowing grin.

"I changed it to Kurt and me right after we met, but I still have it, yeah."

"Show Kurt…see what he says." Nick smiled.

Blaine dug in his pocket for his phone and flipped through is pictures, searching out the one that he'd used as his lock screen forever. He smiled at it fondly when he found it, then turned to show Kurt, who also fondly smiled, his cheeks round and pink at seeing his boyfriend so much younger, and so obviously happy with his friends.

"Oh, Blaine…" Kurt grinned. "I've never seen this picture before…but yeah, he's right. God, look at you two!" Kurt laughed.

Blaine met eyes with Jeff and shrugged. Jeff did the same.

"Lemme see…" Jeff asked, holding out his hand. They passed the phone over.

"Look at how cute you guys are." Kurt grinned. "I mean, it's so obvious there. Yeah, Trent's IN the picture, but it's painfully obvious that something is there between the two of you." He said, using his eyes to indicate Jeff and Blaine.

"I don't see it, I guess. It just…sort of…was. That's all. But like I said…there's a reason…" Jeff broke off, knowing he had to go on, but not wanting to. It needed to be out in the open with the four of them, though.

"Jeff, I don't need a reason. This was, what…10 years ago. It's clear that you're friends now, nothing more, and that's all I need to know, babe, if you don't feel like elaborating." Nick told him, leaning in to peck him on the cheek.

"Same…" Kurt chimed in. "Ok, so it's a bit weird, knowing….but that was so long ago, and you didn't know either of us then. It's not a problem. Is it a little strange, yeah…" he laughed. "But just in the way Jeff spoke about….stuff…with me the other night leads me to believe it was a healthy relationship with the two of you and…well, there's not a lot more to say, right?" he said, his eyebrows raised.

"Your call, Jeff." Blaine said, not taking his eyes off Jeff's face.

"I need to, Blaine." Jeff added in. "I just need to do it…."

"By all means, then, when you're ready." His friend smiled at him with encouragement.

Taking a deep breath, Jeff began to tell the story which led up to the toughest period in his life…where without Blaine, he was certain he wouldn't have made it through in one piece...and maybe not at all.

A/N: Thanks, C...I know it's hard to read all this on your phone...Internet issues / companies suck, and I want you to know I appreciate the effort! :D You're the best, f-ing wifey!
So, next chapter is "the story of Jeff and Blaine" in it's entirety. It's written, complete, and ready to go. It's longer than I'd anticipated, too, but whatever. Your responses to the last chapter were just what I needed when I wrote it. You guys are so fun, and I just love your messages. They make me laugh, smile and sometimes cry...but good tears!
Here's wishing you a great weekend!