A/N: I blame Velma for where this chapter went. I had to stop several times while writing it...feel free to curse all you want at her. I called her several names while writing! Seriously...she's kind of a bitch in this chapter, but by the end, she's nice again.

Thank you, as always, to my wonderful beta and biggest cheerleader teddyshoney. All mistakes, in the end, are my own.

WARNING: Minor Character Death; Racism; Referenced Suicide

Kurt's first week at Dalton was magical, to say the least. He loved every single one of his classes and looked forward to Warblers practice each day. Since sectionals were coming up, they were practicing more often than normal. Kurt called his dad after he officially made the team, and Burt couldn't have been prouder of his son. He had received some good news himself earlier that day; now, he just had to figure out how to tell Kurt about it.

The thing Kurt loved most about Dalton, though, was getting to spend so much time with his soulmate. Each afternoon, the boys would get a couple of uninterrupted hours with each other. Their roommates were amazing and would hang out in whichever room the boys weren't in. For the first part of their time, Kurt insisted that they get their homework completed.

"I don't want the people who gave me this scholarship to ever regret it," Kurt said to him one day when Blaine was trying to kiss his neck instead of writing his history paper. "This opportunity means a lot to me, and I won't waste it."

"I know for a fact that they could never regret giving the scholarship to you," Blaine responded, not really thinking about what he was saying. Kurt's scent was driving him crazy.

"How would you know that?" Kurt asked, curious.

Blaine's eyes bugged out of his head, realizing the information he had just given away. "Umm…"

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Kurt said, sensing the hurt coming from his soulmate. He stopped what he was doing and guided Blaine to his bed since they were in Kurt's room today.

"I want to tell you," Blaine whispered. "I think, though, I might need David and Wes to get through it if that's okay."

Kurt kissed Blaine's cheek and got out his phone to text his roommate. The two boys readjusted on the bed so that their backs were against the wall, leaving space for David and Wes when they got there. Kurt had his arm wrapped around Blaine's waist and was giving off as much comfort through their bond as he could. He was worried about his soulmate. He'd never seen or felt him this upset before.

When David and Wes came into the room, they knew, just by the look of defeat and pain on Blaine's face, what this was about. Wes sat down next to Blaine, and David pulled up one of the desk chairs to sit in front of him. Blaine was surrounded on all sides. He could feel the warmth and comfort coming from all of them, doubly from his bond with Kurt.

"My parents and another family were the ones who started the scholarship fund," Blaine whispered. "I was sort of an 'oops' baby. My brother is 10 years older than me, and my sister was 5 years older than him. I think Mom had just found out she was pregnant with me when Abigail got her mark."

"Was?" Kurt questioned.

"Yeah," Blaine answered. He cleared his throat before continuing. "Abigail was so excited to get her mark. She got it on her 16th birthday, so she knew that she was the younger of the two in her pairing. Her mark was a lighthouse on her left middle finger. She went to school that day and was so excited to tell her best friend about her mark. When she found him at his locker, she discovered that her best friend was her soulmate. He had just gotten his mark that morning, too, a sailboat on his left middle finger. The two of them had always joked that they could help guide each other through anything. They were so excited they kissed right there in the hallway." Blaine stopped to take a breath and gather his thoughts.

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand and kissed his temple. "It sounds like a fairytale, getting to spend the rest of your life with your best friend. I'm guessing that there's more to the story?"

"Yeah," Blaine whispered. "Elijah and Abigail were so excited that they didn't notice the stares and whispers around them. My sister was a beautiful girl. She had long, curly, black hair and was the perfect blend of my parents. All of the guys wanted to date her, and some of the girls, too. She was also the kindest soul you could ever meet. Or at least, that's what I'm told. I never got to meet her, but my parents and Coop tell me stories about her."

Another deep breath. Wes and David were silent; they had heard the story before. They knew what was coming, and they were preparing themselves for the emotions they knew would hit them hard.

"Before my parents moved to Westerville," Blaine continued, "they lived in a rural community in Kansas. There wasn't a whole lot of diversity there, so when Elijah and his family moved to the area, Abigail was immediately drawn to him. They were kindred spirits and became best friends, inseparable almost. Anyway, the community was very backward in their thinking. If you weren't white, Christian, and Republican, you were an outcast. If you were two out of the three, you were acceptable, though not preferential. We were two of the three; my mom is from the Philippines. So, when some of the 'popular' kids saw Abigail and Elijah kissing, they didn't like it. Not at all. It didn't matter to them that they were soulmates. All that mattered was that that 'colored kid' was corrupting the homecoming queen."

Another breath. Tears were now trickling down Blaine and David's faces. "That day, after school, the jocks had orchestrated something horrible. The sports teams were between seasons, so there weren't any afterschool activities going on at all. All of the teachers bolted on these days, not needing to stay at the school for anything. Abigail and Elijah were by his car, talking about whose parents to tell first when Elijah was grabbed suddenly and dragged behind the school. Abigail jumped up to go after him, but they grabbed her, too. She was screaming and telling them to let him go. They didn't listen though."

Sobs wracked through Blaine's body. David was full-on crying now. Wes was holding both of their hands. And Kurt...Kurt was trying to understand how people could be so cruel. He had lived through some horrible things, and he wasn't quite sure if Elijah made it. In fact, he was certain he didn't.

"Dad was worried when Abigail didn't come home, so he went to the school to see if she was still there," Blaine continued. "He saw Abigail and Elijah's vehicles in the parking lot, but that was it. He got out of his car, heard Abigail's cries, and ran toward the sound. When he found her, she was holding Elijah's lifeless body. They had killed him and then left when they realized how far they had gone. Dad was speechless. He told me later on when I asked about the scholarship and why it was started that the thing that will always stick out in his mind about that moment was how Abigail was holding Elijah's hand, their marks resting side by side."

All four boys were weeping now. Wes had grabbed the box of tissues on Kurt's nightstand at some point, and all of them dried their faces and blew their noses. "Abigail never did recover. She tried to go back to school, but the pain of seeing her soulmate's attackers acting like they had done the world a favor, walking around and living their lives was too much for her. She took her own life a week later."

Another breath. Blaine had gotten through it. "So," he continued, his voice quiet and rough, "Mom and Dad decided that they didn't want to stay there anymore. They couldn't and wouldn't be around that much bigotry and prejudice. And, since both Elijah and Abigail were cremated, his parents and my parents decided to split their ashes and combine them so that they would always be together. Neither set of parents could lay their children to rest in such a place. Some people would think that's kind of morbid, but it works for us. And, it helps to remind us that love is so much stronger than hate. Because of them, we've been able to help so many students find a place to go to school and be accepted, no matter what. The community has helped sustain the scholarship, and it will continue to help kids for years and years to come."

Kurt took Blaine's face in his hands and turned it toward him. "Thank you for sharing that with me," Kurt said and gave Blaine the sweetest, softest kiss they had shared yet. When they pulled away, he gave Blaine a gentle smile, squeezing his hand tightly. He then turned to David and Wes. "Thank you both for being here, for supporting Blaine before I could find him. I'm so glad he hasn't had to go through these difficult times alone. You're amazing friends." He smiled at the boys, giving each of them a tight hug, too.

"Blaine is like our brother," Wes said, knowing David wouldn't be able to talk yet. "We will always be here for him, and you as well."

"Thank you," Kurt said, feeling a surge of appreciation from his and Blaine's bond.

"D?" Wes asked. "Wanna bunk in my room tonight?" He knew that Blaine likely wouldn't sleep well tonight, and he hoped that having Kurt near him would help ease the nightmares.

David agreed silently and started grabbing some clothes while Blaine and Kurt gave Wes a look of gratitude. "I'm going to run next door and grab some clothes," Blaine whispered to Kurt.

"Okay," Kurt whispered back and pecked his soulmate on the lips. "Hurry back."

When Blaine was out of the room, Wes spoke. "He might have nightmares tonight. Usually, we all have a slumber party after one of us has to relive something tragic like that. Do you want us to stay?"

"I'd like to try this on my own, if that's alright with the two of you," Kurt answered. "I promise that I will come to get you if I need you, though."

"That's what I thought you'd say," David said, speaking for the first time. "You're really good for him, Kurt."

All four boys went down to supper together, sitting at a corner table so they wouldn't have to interact with anyone. The other Warblers knew that when any of them sat at the table in the corner, they needed space, so nobody bothered them throughout their meal. After they had finished, they all went back to their rooms, showered quickly, and then settled down for the evening. They were all very glad that it was Thursday and they only had one more day of classes that week.

Blaine didn't have any nightmares that night, which surprised them all. He wondered if having Kurt next to him was the reason because, in his dream, he saw many strange things: a dark room, the two of them swimming in a pool surrounded by rock walls, the two of them dancing very close together in a nightclub, the two of them embracing with a crown on Kurt's head, the two of them sitting in a cave and petting wolves, Blaine in a leather jacket and Kurt in a cheerleading uniform, and the two of them playing on a playground as children. When he awoke the next morning, he looked at Kurt and knew that his soulmate had had the same dreams.

"I wonder what that was all about," Kurt said and then kissed Blaine on the lips. He loved waking up next to Blaine, cuddled like koalas and not even bothered by each other's morning breath.

"I'm not sure," Blaine answered. "Looks like a pretty amazing adventure though!"

The boys got up and ready for school, enjoying the domesticity of the morning routine. They held hands on the way to breakfast and all through the classes they had together. During the classes that they didn't have together, they wrote messages back and forth as discreetly as they could.

"How are you?" Kurt asked.

"I'm fine, baby," Blaine answered. "Is it okay that I called you that? I should have asked in person first."

"It's fine, honey," Kurt replied. "I actually kind of love it." He then drew a 'star,' which had become their signal that a teacher was either coming toward them or looking at them, and they needed to pay attention.

After Warblers rehearsal that afternoon, Kurt packed up to go home for the weekend. Blaine was also going home, and they were hoping that the two families could meet that Sunday for lunch.

"I'll miss you," Kurt said while hugging Blaine tightly. "I…"

"I love you, too," Blaine said, knowing without a doubt that this was what his soulmate was going to say. "I know that people will think it's too early, but our bond...it feels different, deeper, than any bond I've heard described. I know that I love you and that I'll do anything for you, no matter what it is."

Kurt was looking at his soulmate, shocked. "You do?" he asked with tears in his eyes. It still surprised him at times that he actually had found his soulmate and was worthy of the love that he felt every day. Being at Dalton was helping him heal. Just the knowledge that he wasn't going to get made fun of or be punished for who he was was doing wonders for him. Blaine and the Warblers were helping, too. He knew they would protect him. Now, all he had to do was get his head and his heart to agree so that the doubts he constantly carried around could fully leave.

"I really, really do," Blaine answered and kissed Kurt with all of the love and passion he could.

"Wow," Kurt breathed. "Every day that I'm here, that I'm connected to you, I believe that a little more. You're helping me heal the broken pieces of my heart, and I know that no matter what happens or what is said to me, I have you and our love to keep me going."

"You're amazing!" Blaine said and kissed Kurt again. Unintentionally, he moved closer, and their erections brushed up against each other, making them both moan loudly. "Wait," Blaine said, breaking their kiss just before it could grow more heated. "We need to stop. You need to get home before your dad comes looking for you, and I don't want to rush this, any of this."

"You're right," Kurt said, whining slightly. That had felt amazing, and he definitely wanted to do it again. "I don't want to rush it either. Raincheck?"

"Absofuckinglutely!" Blaine said, making Kurt laugh out loud.

"Goof," Kurt said and grabbed his bags. Blaine linked their hands together and escorted Kurt to his vehicle.

"Drive safely, and let me know when you make it home," Blaine requested once they were to Kurt's Navigator.

"I will," Kurt replied before getting in. "I love you, honey," he said, smiling like a fool.

"I love you, too, baby," Blaine replied and kissed him once more before he drove off.

Kurt got home that night just in time for supper. He was surprised to see Noah there and gave him a huge hug. Kurt hugged his dad next and then told them both he needed to text Blaine to let him know he'd made it safely. They both gave him a hard time but understood and were happy for him to have found someone who cared about him so much.

After they sat down and had a nice meal, Burt asked the two boys to go into the living room, because there was something he needed to talk to them both about. "Last week, I had a lot to think about and some decisions to make. Noah knows about some of them, but he doesn't necessarily know the outcomes."

"What do you mean, Dad?" Kurt asked. He was worried his dad was sick or something.

Burt told him what had transpired the weekend before.

"Well, it looks like you're going to be busy for a little bit," Noah said as he watched the message his friend was writing. "I'm going to go down and talk to your dad for a bit and then head home. I have the early shift at the shop tomorrow, and Mom's at work tonight; so, at least it will be a quiet evening."

Kurt hugged his friend again and told him goodbye. Sometimes, Kurt wished that Noah could live with him instead of the toxic environment he did live in. "Noah?" he asked before his friend had made it completely out the door.

"Yeah?" he answered.

Kurt noticed another message appear on his arm but finished his talk with his friend first. "Blaine is coming over tomorrow, and I would love for you to meet him. Would you want to?"

"You've got it, Princess!" Noah answered with a huge grin on his face, knowing how much trust Kurt had in him if he was asking him to meet his soulmate the day after they had met.

"You leavin', kid?" Burt asked when Noah got downstairs.

"Wasn't planning to yet," Noah said and sat down on the sofa. "It's going to suck without him here."

"It is," Burt agreed. "I've been thinking...your mom still working all the time?"

"Yeah," Noah said sadly. "Even if she wasn't, she doesn't like me much. I've honestly thought about just getting my own place. My Nana left me a huge chunk of money that I already have access to."

"You could always move in with us," Burt offered. At the quizzical look Noah was giving him, Burt elaborated. "I can't be this far away from Kurt yet. I know that once he graduates next year he's going to leave, and I will have to figure out what to do from there. But, right now, I just can't do it. This week has been hell. It's only going to be worse when I can't see him every day. So, I've been doing some thinking, and I'm going to see what's available in Westerville. Open up a new shop if I can find the right one and have Mark manage the one here. I'd love to have someone who knows what they're doing to help me out, and I know you'll miss him as much as I do, even if you won't admit it out loud."

"Are you for fucking real?" Noah answered. "There's no way my grades are good enough to get into that fancy school, though." Noah bowed his head, pissed at himself for getting his hopes up. He'd always sucked at school, and it kept him from doing so many things he wanted to do.

"You'd be surprised," Burt replied. "You're smart, Noah. The principal there is amazing, and if you'd like, I'll go and talk to him with you, when and if you decide that it might be an option. I'm determined to find something there and make it work. So, the offer is on the table if you want it." He smiled warmly at the boy he already thought of as a second son.

"I'll think about it, Burt," Noah said. "I'm going to head home now. See you in the morning."

"Good night, Noah," Burt said and walked him to the door. It surprised both of them when Noah hugged Burt goodbye, whispering a soft 'thank you' into the older man's shoulder.

After Noah left, Burt got on the internet and looked for prospective places to open a shop in Westerville. The next day, he left the shop a little early. There was one place he needed to go, and one person he needed to talk to before he made any concrete decisions.

As he turned into the cemetery and parked his truck under the familiar oak tree, he took a deep breath, knowing that the visit was going to be an emotional one. Burt got out of his truck and walked the path he had walked a hundred times before to the back corner of the cemetery. Elizabeth's grave was set under an old, branching elm tree. A lilac bush sat on one side of her headstone, and grasslands lay behind it. Burt sat down under the tree and breathed in the smell of the lilacs.

"He found his soulmate, Lizzy," Burt said, looking at the marble headstone with his wife's name on it.

Elizabeth Marie Hummel
Friend, Soulmate, Wife, Mother
"There's always the next time."

"He found him because I couldn't keep him safe here," Burt whispered. "I know I can't always protect him, but the bullying had been going on for years, and I didn't stop it. Granted, I didn't really know the extent of what was happening, but I should have. I'm his father. You would have known after the first time." He took a deep breath. Being self-deprecating wasn't going to change the past.

"I've figured out our next time, though," Burt chuckled, remembering what Elizabeth would always tell him when she kicked his ass at Pac-Man in their youth: 'There's always next time.' "I'm going to look for a shop in Westerville. I need to be close to him. I'm just not ready to let him go yet. And, that means that we'll be moving there. I'm just going to miss you and our house so damn much. I know you're not really here, but I feel better when I can come here and talk to you." Just then, a gust of wind blew, and the scent of the lilacs grew stronger. Burt chuckled again, understanding what the sign meant.

Burt took another deep breath and started to sing.

"I remember what you wore on our first date
You came into my life
And I thought hey
You know this could be something
'Cause everything you do and words you say
You know that it all takes my breath away
And now I'm left with nothing

So maybe it's true, that I can't live without you
Well maybe two is better than one
There's so much time, to figure out the rest of my life
And you've already got me coming undone
And I'm thinking two, is better than one

I remember every look upon your face,
The way you roll your eyes, the way you taste
You make it hard for breathing
'Cause when I close my eyes and drift away
I think of you and everything's okay
I'm finally now believin'"

"We'll always keep you with us," Burt said. "I love you, Lizzy, now and forever."

"I found a shop to look at and put in an offer on it," Burt continued after telling both boys about his decision to move. "The offer was accepted. Now, the only thing we need to decide is if the house we're going to look for will have three bedrooms or four."

Both Kurt and Burt looked at Noah, knowing that he would be the deciding factor on the size of the house. They liked having a guest room, just in case any family or friends wanted to stay over.

"You both really want me to come live with you?" Noah asked. It was hard for him to believe that anybody could really want him.

"Are you kidding me?" Kurt said. "I've always wanted a brother, and who better to be my brother than my best friend?"

"I've been doin' a lot of thinkin' since I talked to Burt last week," Noah said quietly. "And, I'd really like to come with you. Hopefully, I can get into Dalton and afford the tuition."

"I'm sure if you can't," Kurt said, "you can apply for the scholarship I am getting. It can be used for all sorts of things, and if you tell your story, I'm sure they'll be able to help with the cost."

"Okay," Noah said. "I'm goin' home to talk to Mom. She's actually home tonight. I'll call and let you know how it goes." He smiled at them, secretly hoping for the best.

Kurt and Burt both hugged Noah before he left. Burt asked about school, and Kurt told him how all of his classes were going. He told him all about the Warblers and how he even had a part to sing at the upcoming Sectionals competition. When Kurt started yawning, Burt told him to go to bed and then asked him if he would help him look for houses the following day. Kurt, of course, agreed to help and then went upstairs to bed.

After he showered and got his pajamas on, Kurt texted Blaine to see if he was free to talk, not wanting to write on his skin after having just showered. Blaine said he was free, and the two talked for about an hour before falling asleep. Kurt told him all about what had transpired that evening and asked if he and his parents would like to come for supper the following evening instead of on Sunday. Blaine said he would ask but didn't think it would be a problem since they didn't have any other plans that he knew of.

Before falling asleep, Kurt drew half of a heart on his left index finger, and in seconds the other half was completed. Both boys fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

The next day, Kurt woke up and went downstairs to make some coffee and breakfast. He noticed a person sleeping on their couch, so he tiptoed into the kitchen and was happy to see his dad was already awake.

"Who's that?" Kurt whispered, jerking this thumb toward the living room.

"Noah," Burt whispered back. "After he talked to his mom, she kicked him out. So, he got all of his stuff and called me. Looks like I'll be making a trip to Dalton on Monday. Even though he's 18, I want to be there with him when he talks to the headmaster and hopefully enrolls."

"You're pretty amazing, Dad," Kurt said with a huge smile on his face. He hugged his dad and then got to work making some chocolate chip pancakes. The smell of them woke his friend, and they all ate together before Burt and Noah had to go to the shop. Kurt joined them 30 minutes later after hearing from Blaine that he and his parents would love to come to supper that night. Blaine's parents wanted to bring a side dish for dinner, but Kurt told them just to bring themselves and warned Blaine that Noah would be there, too. He would fill him in later.

Blaine came to Lima a couple of hours before his parents did. They were in a board meeting for the scholarship foundation, and Kurt said he wanted to show Blaine something special. When he arrived, Kurt ran out to his car and hugged him like it had been weeks since they had seen each other instead of just a day.

"Would you mind driving?" Kurt asked after they detached their lips from each other. "I'll direct you where to go."

"As you wish," Blaine said as he stole one more peck and then led Kurt to the passenger side and helped him in.

Kurt gave directions, and before they knew it, Blaine was parking under an oak tree, Kurt leading him toward the back corner of the cemetery. The couple sat under the elm tree by the well-cared for grave, loving the smell of the fragrant lilac bush.

"I wanted you to meet my mom," Kurt said quietly. "Mom, this is Blaine Anderson, my soulmate. Blaine, this is my mom, Elizabeth Hummel."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Hummel," Blaine said.

The boys sat there and talked to Elizabeth for about an hour about school and the Warblers. Kurt told Blaine all about what had happened with Noah the night before and how they were hoping he would get into Dalton. He shared his concerns about Noah's grades, relaying to him how difficult Noah's life had been and how personally he would take the rejection if he didn't get into Dalton.

Sooner than he would have liked, Kurt said it was time to head back to the house so he could get everything prepared for Blaine's parents' arrival. Blaine asked if he could have a couple of minutes alone with Elizabeth, to which Kurt agreed, the smile never leaving his face.

"I promise," Blaine said once Kurt was back at the car, "that I won't let anything happen to him. I will keep him as safe as I can, and I will help him heal in every way that I know how. Thank you, Mrs. Hummel, for bringing him into this world. He's the most perfect person there is, and I'm so thankful that I get to spend the rest of my life loving him."

The rest of the evening went perfectly. Phillip and Marisol Anderson were two of the most genuine and down to earth people Burt, Kurt, and Noah had ever met. The evening was spent getting to know one another. The Anderson's were happy to hear that the scholarship Kurt had received was helping and hoped that Noah got in to Dalton as they would make sure he received the same help that Kurt had. Noah was just as responsible for keeping their son's soulmate safe as Burt was, after all.

When they were talking about how they wanted to move to Westerville, Burt said that he had found a house he loved and hoped that the boys liked it as well. Phillip asked which one it was, knowing several of the realtors in the area. When Burt said the address, all three Andrson's giggled.

"What's so funny?" Kurt asked, hoping it wasn't a junk house.

"That's the one right next to us," Blaine said, kissing his soulmate's temple. "The family who lived there moved to Florida not too long ago. It's a beautiful home, and it would be so amazing to have you all as neighbors."

"I agree with Blaine," Phillip said. "George is the realtor handling the sale. We can get you in touch with Leslie, that's who I would recommend, if you want to take a tour."

"That would be amazing!" Burt said. He really liked this family, and the prospect of living next to his son's future in-law's was a happy one indeed.

A/N: The song used in this chapter is "Two Is Better Than One" by Boys Like Girls.