Kurt dodged people in the airport as if they were diseased. He looked at his watch for the millionth and, and snatched the hand of the man who had been trailing after him.

"Come on," Kurt growled. "If we don't hurry up were going to be late."

"Well, I'm sorry," the man said, "I wasn't the one who wanted to go on the airplane the day of the reunion."

Kurt stopped and turned around sharply, so that the other man had stumbled into him. He sneered, "Elliot. Now is not the time to be snarky."

"I'm sorry, babe. Now let's get going because Finn's not going to want to be parked out there forever."

When they had reached the outside of the airport with heaving chests, they saw Finn waving his hand with so much force his head vibrated. Slipping into the car Kurt finally took a deep breath of calm. Finn greeted them, and they nodded in return. Kurt pushed his head into the headrest of the passenger seat closing his eyes shut. The radio was on to a near silence.

"So, ugh, Elliot," Finn started, "You excited to meet all of Kurt's high school friends."

He exclaimed, "Oh yeah! From all the stories Kurt has told me it'll be interesting I'm sure."

Finn laughed. Kurt sighed so quiet that he could barely tell if it was legible. He didn't want to see Santana since the whole argument with Rachel exploded, nor had he wanted to see Rachel because she completely ghosted him. Puck, Sam, Mike, Quinn, and Tina had never followed through with plans that he had tried to set up. At least Artie and him had relations because of the fact that they were living in the same City. Mercedes was one of the few he wouldn't mind seeing, but there was only one person he had really wanted to see. That he ached to see with his entire existence. Blaine. Blaine Anderson. They hadn't spoken a single word, shot a single text, or seen an inch of each other since their break up. Was Kurt planning on getting back together with Blaine? No, of course not he loved Elliot. He was just missing the final chapter of a story to his life. A final chapter that was vastly important.

He wondered what Blaine was going to be like? The same? Probably not. People change; it's always inevitable. Maybe he'll even have a boyfriend that makes him smile even more than Kurt had. The conversation between Elliot and Finn had become white noise to Kurt, as he sorted through ideas on how much Blaine had changed. Kurt wished that they were still friends. He wishes that he hadn't let a little distance completely tear their relationship to billions of shreds. When they were only a few minutes to McKinley High, Kurt felt bubbling and churning in his stomach. What if Blaine didn't want to see him? What if Blaine wasn't even there? What if Blaine was married? Kurt shook his head willing the silly thoughts away. Not matter what happened Kurt had decided he was going to have a good time. Well, he's at least going to try really hard for a decent time.

Finn had pulled up into the McKinley parking lot, and the car shot forward when he parked. All three of them dashed to get into the choir on time. Everyone was there. Everyone except for Blaine and Sam, but they still had a minute before they were going to be late. Quin was standing in the corner with Puck dripping in a white Sunday dress, and her hair was so, so blonde pulled into a tight bun. She looked like an old lady ready for a day at church. Funny, Kurt thought, does she still have the big tattoo? Artie had been rolling his way up to Tina when Kurt walked in. He just shook his head in the slightest. When was Artie going to get over Tina? Wasn't seven years enough?

"Oh my god!" Someone squealed, "Is that the amazing Kurt Hummel?"

Kurt whipped around to see Sam walk in with a shadow lingering behind him. The shadow was oh so familiar to Kurt.

"The one and only."

"And who is this?" Sam asked.

"Oh!" Kurt kind of gasped at his forgotten boyfriend. "This is Elliot. My boyfriend."

"Oh, sweet," Kurt didn't miss the way Sam's voice fell into one of relief.

Mercedes shrieked from the back corner, "Kurt!"

He ran up to her, and their bodies collided hard. The two had squawked at each other like parrots. They giggled. They screeched. Kurt had introduced her to Elliot, and Mercedes starting telling old stories of Kurt's sophomore year. That included the story of dressing up like lady gaga. Kurt blushed and Elliot chortled, as Kurt smacked Mercedes shoulder.

Eventually Kurt stopped talking, and his jaw had dropped to the floor. There was a shadow in the room, but not one casted by a person. One of a person. This was a dark shadow of the former Blaine that Kurt had once knew. He stood behind Sam almost cowering from all the noise like timid dog. Black was spilt over the entirety of the skin underneath his eye. It was a dark night. Mercedes had stopped talking at some point to look over to where Kurt was staring. She put a hand over mouth.

"Is that really him?" She whispered.

"Who," Elliot had asked.

"Blaine," Kurt gasped, "He was my high school sweetheart."

"Sweetheart my ass," Elliot laughed, "He looks like he's a drug dealer or something."

Blaine, dressed in jeans that had more holes than fabric and a grey sweatshirt, had looked over his eyes burning through Kurt's. Kurt hadn't expected him to look that bad. He had actually expected him to look well. He swallowed a gasp. Where was the bowtie? Where was the gelled curls? Where were the cute sweaters that Kurt had grown accustom to?

Kurt smacked Elliot's shoulder, and whisper, "Don't talk like that. This is the first time most of us have seen him since his senior year. He must've gone through some hard times."

Mercedes turned to him saying, "He does look like complete shit though. Elliot's got a point here."

"Yeah, well, we don't know what he's gone through, so leave it."

Kurt practically glided across the room of the choir room mingling with everyone slowing. He introduced Elliot to everyone, and cooed at Santana's and Britany's baby.

"Out of everyone here…who would have thought you guys were going to be parents first?" Kurt had said to Santana.

Santana merely shrugged, and replied, "I had always thought it was going to be you and Blaine to have kids first. If I'm being honest here."

The heart clenched in his chest a little had dropped into his stomach, and Elliot had look down at his feet almost sheepishly. Elliot was never sheepish. He was always the loud and entertaining man with no regrets nor remorse. Kurt looked up to see Blaine following Sam around like he was his shadow. Blaine seemed to be just stuck behind him. Every once in a while Kurt had heard Blaine start a conversation with Noah, but that was when Quinn wasn't around him. It seemed as though she had resented Blaine a little bit considering all the daggers she glared at him.

Good to know she hasn't lost any of her character, Kurt had thought.

"Kurt!" William Shuster had called out to him at some point, "How are you? It's so good to see you!"

"I'm good. Thank you for asking. How are you?"

"I'm great. It's so good to have the whole gang here again."

Idle small talk was fired back and forth between Will and Kurt, and the plethora of people behind was like white noise. They really didn't notice anyone or anything. That's why Kurt hadn't noticed a little shadow moving its way over to him. The conversation died. Will had moved on to go talk to Rachel or someone else. Kurt had turned around to be meet face to face with Blaine Anderson. His heart hammered hard into his chest while he sucked in a breath.

"Hey," Blaine had whispered.

No words spilt out of Kurt's mouth. His jaw just hung loosely open for a few seconds before pulling Blaine into a long deep hug. Kurt buried his nose into the crazy tangled curls atop Blaine's hair, as Blaine's hot breathe poured all over his neck. Kurt got shivers. They eventually pulled apart. Blaine eyebrows were shot to hell high up in his forehead.

"While that was nice…" he had said, "what was that for?"

Kurt huffed and laugh that ended shortly saying, "I guess I forgot how much I missed my old best friend."

"Best friend?" Blaine had asked.

Kurt confirmed, "Best friend."

A throat being cleared sounded from behind Kurt who jump a few feet in the air at the sound. Elliot stood behind him leering at Blaine who quivered like a small prey. Shit, Kurt had breathed so silently no one heard it.

"Blaine, this is my boyfriend Elliot," Kurt said hand gesturing to Elliot, "Elliot this is Blaine my… my friend."

Elliot had nodded shortly opening his hand up for Blaine to shake. Blaine slowly slipped his hand out of the sleeve of his sweatshirt. His hand trembled as if lifting it took a tremendous amount of effort. They shook hands stoic looks stuck on their faces. Standing in the center of the room, William Shuster had called everyone to sit down, and everyone complied. He had announced, for old time sakes, that they all should perform songs. Half the room had stood up with smiles taking up most of their faces. The other half was, well, not so enthusiastic. Especially Blaine who just sunk into his seat looking as if he wanted it to just swallow him. Rachel had volunteered to go first singing the solo on the new off Broadway musical she was in. A revival of Rent which she was playing Maureen Johnson.

Just like the good old times. Kurt had closed his eyes to hide him rolling them.

Midway through Rachel squawking her song, Kurt had noticed any empty chair in back corner. An empty that had been occupied by Blaine just a few mere seconds earlier. It was as if he disappeared in thin air. He slipped away without anyone noticing. Kurt's face crinkled with concern. When was Blaine so secretive? How did Blaine become this mere shadow of a person that no one noticed? The song had ended, and everyone clapped politely, shortly. It was the perfect opportunity for Kurt to slink away, so he did. Little had he known that Elliot was trailing after him.

There was a breeze in the hallway that tickled the hair atop his head.

"Kurt, why did you leave?" Elliot had asked from behind him.

"God," Kurt sighed turning around sharply, "How many times are you going to sneak up on me like that?"

"Sorry," He huffed, "Why did you leave?"

"I saw that Blaine left, and I thought that I—"

"I thought you were over Blaine. You specifically told me that you were over Blaine."

Elliot had these little quirks, things really, that he did, and every time it would remind Kurt of Blaine. Kurt knew he shouldn't be thinking of Elliot as Blaine or doing any comparison. It's hard though when Elliot spends three hours in a mall browsing at the millions of bowties, and trying every single one of them on. After Elliot slips one in his collar to show Kurt, Kurt can't wondering if Blaine would look good in it too. In a way, Blaine and Elliot were very similar. With each bowtie that Elliot puts one, Kurt feels a tightness in his throat. He doesn't really know why or what for, but it always happens.

He was over Blaine, really. It had been three year since the break-up, and Kurt had tried to phone him, and it always went straight to voicemail now. He must have gotten a new phone. That's what Kurt goes with anyway because it would hurt too much knowing that Blaine had blocked him.

Elliot loved Rent with all of his heart. Very much like Blaine had. It was both of their favorite musical. Incessantly insisting that they watch Rent at least two times a month, Elliot always seemed so content with his arm around Kurt mouthing off the lyrics to 'La Vie Boheme'. Blaine used to always get up, and prance around mirroring the dances on the screen. Kurt missed that. He missed it so much. A cringe would suck Kurt's face in, as he compared Elliot to Blaine once again. He just let the thick arm laying heavily across his shoulders tug him into Elliot's warm body. It helped him forget Blaine, or at least forget to compare Elliot to Blaine for a bit until he heard Elliot singing 'What You Own'. Blaine would have never sang it off key, and had the lyrics so quiet it was barely legible to anyone close to his lips. Blaine would have belted at the top of his lungs tearing up his throat in the process. Kurt had sighed snuggling into the man he loved now.

He was over Blaine, really. Kurt didn't love him anymore, but, god, did he ever miss him. Sometimes Kurt wanted Blaine in New York sitting in the couch with him and Elliot. Not just him and Elliot together all the time. Kurt missed his best friend, and it was fair.

"Yes, I know that, and I am! I swear. It's just that no one else seemed to know that he was gone, and he looked really sad today, and I feel bad. Okay?"

"If you were over him, you wouldn't be following him around like a lost puppy, Kurt. Also, your hug earlier seemed to be a little too intimate to be something that 'just friends' share," Elliot growled.

"Elliot for god sakes calm down. Jealously does not look good on you. I love you and only you. I just miss Blaine, okay," Kurt snapped back.

"Can you tell me why you miss him if you're over him?"

"Before we actually dated, Blaine and I were good friends. Great friends, actually. I just miss him so much. I may have some feelings still inside me, but that doesn't mean that I love him. He was my first ever boyfriend. There's always going to be feelings. Okay? But I love you. I love you so much."

"Okay, fine," Elliot say quickly wrapping up Kurt into his thick arms, "I love you too. Now let's go find your friend."

They wandered idle in the school for a few minutes hands intertwined. Just like how they felt with each other. Intertwined. When they had brushed past the washroom, thunderous footsteps and a clipped breathe started coming behind them. It was Sam running as if the floor was burning him. Kurt felt his heart jumpstart.

"Why are you running so fast?" Kurt had asked.

Sam replied, "Why are you guys wondering out here?"

"Well," Elliot had said, "Kurt saw that Blaine was gone, so we tried looking for him"

Sam had cussed taking a step away from them. He slipped his hands deep into his hair, easy like it was water.

"I'm just going to check the bathroom. Can you guys wait out here?"

They both had nodded their heads dumbly, as Sam sprinted into the bathroom door so fast that he had to grab the corner to slow down a bit. There was muffled skittering footsteps. A holler boomed off the wall of the bathroom and into the hallway. Kurt and Elliot had given a glance to each other before rushing into the bathroom. In there they saw Blaine backed up into a sink with Sam glowering over him with a face a pure anger. Kurt's jaw had dropped all the way to the floor, and his hand squeezed Elliot's as if he were trying to choke it. A rubber band was obstructing Blaine's bicep. His other hand was gripping a needle shaking more than earthquake ridden ground. Blaine had looked up at the noise at the door of the bathroom. His eye were blank, cold.

When he saw who it was, he dropped the needle. It hit the floor with a little clang un-silencing the dead air in the room.

"K-Kurt?" Blaine stuttered his eyes blown wider than the over pumped soccer ball.

"Come on," Sam said. He snatched Blaine's hand, and dragged him out of the bathroom like he was a rag doll. They brushed past Kurt and Elliot not even sparing a glance of the head nonetheless their eyes. Kurt was hot on their heels, though, nearly stepping on their shoes, as he follows them.

"Was that heroin?"

No answer.

"Sam, Blaine? Answer me. Was that heroin?"

Still no answer. Just the sound of shuffling feet.

"Was that heroin!" Kurt screamed.

Sam had stopped abruptly in the middle of the hallway making Blaine stumble into him lightly.

He said, "Yes it was. Now can you leave us alone? Please?"

Kurt felt his heart stutter and almost stop. What happened to his Blaine? What happened to the Blaine everyone knew five years ago? The one who's only thought on drugs was how abysmal they were.

Kurt had sprinted to his car shiny enough that it was reflecting a beam of the sun's white light. Sprinting as if the coffee shop he was just in had zapped him with a wave of high voltage, Kurt rubbed furiously at the tear falling down his cheeks. When he went into his vehicle, Kurt slammed the door hard enough that the whole car had shivered. 'What have I done?' Kurt had thought. 'I just ended things with Blaine. I hadn't even let him talk.'

Kurt sped to his house with waterfalls falling out of his eyes. There was a strong urge to go back, and beg Blaine to forget about what Kurt had just said. He kept his eyes forward, stoic, on the road. His hands choked the wheel. They gripped the leather tighter than a vice. Kurt was off to New York in two weeks. He couldn't wait to see Rachel there. Kurt had just wished Blaine would be there too. Blaine may never be there because of Kurt. Kurt found himself thinking again, 'what have I done?'

Eventually his house came into the front window of his car. Kurt scrambled inside forgetting his bag and his coat. His dad open the door with eyebrows shot up, and eyes wider than the moon. Kurt had never forgot his keys. Burt's mouth had dropped right down all the way to the coffee stained carpet, as he took in his son's appearance. He had never seen his son's eyes so bloodshot. So red. It happened in an instant, but Kurt had fallen forward burying his cold sniffling noise into his father's shoulder. Burt barley stopped himself from falling backwards from the sheer force of a depressed teenager. Words of comfort flew from Burt's mouth straight into Kurt's hair which had only made Kurt hiccup harder. He couldn't help but to think that Blaine didn't have this. There was no shoulder to cry on or into. Blaine had never had this until Kurt came along. Now Kurt was gone. There was no one. Kurt nearly screamed with the entirety of his lungs. 'What have I done?' he thought one last time before Burt dragged him to bed.

Kurt had stared blankly at the hallway that was just occupied by the sound of thumping feet. Sam and Blaine had gone somewhere—Kurt didn't know. He blinked a few times before a slight tug on his elbow broke him out of his trance. Kurt looked up to see Elliot's lips pressed in his mouth creating a straight line. How many bad memories was this damn High School going to create? Kurt shook his head letting Elliot drag his limp arm back to the choir room. How many nightmares will this damn school create until it's satisfied with itself? How many lives must be ruined?

Nothing. That's all that there ever was. Nothing. No answers to his texts. No call backs. Nothing. Kurt didn't know how long he was supposed to stare at the contacts that read 'Blaine Anderson' with a cute little bowtie as the icon. It felt like an eternity for Kurt. Maybe it was. Kurt wouldn't know.

It had been a month since Kurt had moved to New York, and Blaine had started school a few weeks ago. It was now a new routine for Kurt every Friday night to brew himself a cup of green tea letting the hot cup burn his hands a little, as he walked to the oversized lazy boy sitting in the corner of Rachel and his living room. He would plop himself in the middle of it, and curl his knees so they were kissing his chin. The chair was so big it could easily gobbled up Kurt in one bite. A phone that was sleeping on the glass coffee table beside the chair would be stared at for hours. Sometimes it would be fumbled around with. A few texts might be clacked out and sent, or the sound of a phone singing a ringtone for a call might sound. For the most part, though, it was just stared at by the figure in the chair with the contacts for Blaine Anderson pulled up. It would last until the tea ran out, and Rachel shook Kurt's shoulders to get him to sleep. That was the routine for an umpteenth months. Eventually Kurt was dragged like a sack down to a local bar where Elliot Gilbert was preforming. Now, Friday's were date nights, and Kurt usually forgets how he used to spend his Friday nights. Usually.

Kurt knew he fucked up, and he knew he had to help Blaine. He knew he had to be the one to help Blaine because Kurt was pretty sure that he was the one who broke him in the first place.

Everyone in the choir room who wanted to give a performance had, and Will eventually brought out snacks for everyone to nibble on while they mingled. There was a pause in the indolent chatter when Kurt and Elliot had strutted into the room. Elliot's face was quite apathetic while Kurt's was sorrow sadden by something.

"Hey!" Mercedes said, "Your back!"

"Yay," Kurt had said words dripping in sarcasm, as he dropped himself into a chair in the front row.

"Where's Sam and Blaine?" Santana had asked in the middle of the jungle of people.

Quinn had huffed saying, "Leave it up to Blaine to fuck this up."

What?

"What do you mean?" Santana had asked.

"Well, for people who don't know Blaine is—"

Noah had interrupted her grasping for her hand in desperation, "Quinn don't."

"—Blaine is a junkie. Addicted to heroin."

"Why would you say that, Quinn?" Kurt had asked.

"Where the fuck were you?" Quinn snapped as soon as she heard keys being jingled outside the door to her and Noah's apartment.

"Whoa, babe, chill out," Noah said closing the main door behind him.

"No, where the fuck were you?" she had snapped once again, "You're either cheating on me or you're hanging out with that hopeless junkie once again."

"Don't talk about Blaine like that. He was your friend too, so fuck off."

"No, I was friends with Blaine Anderson for, like, two months. I'm not, and will never be, friends with this fucked up man whore who is set up to fail in his life. Don't act like they're the same people because they're not."

"They are the same people. You're just too ignorant to notice."

"Did you just call me ignorant?" Quinn had nearly screamed.

"Yeah, because you are," Noah grumbled brushing past Quinn carefully avoiding her jutted out hip and shoulder. She trailed after him stomping her feet more than what was necessary. After a hard quick huff, Quinn yanked Noah's shoulder.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

"To go shower," He said.

"We're having a discussion here."

"You're picking a fight here, actually."

"You spend more time with the stripper than you do with me, and I am feeling upset and so, so very angry. We need to discuss a few thing," She said standing in front of him blocking off the rest of the hallway that lead into the bathroom.

"Okay," Noah had replied with composure, "Can we discuss the fact that I don't appreciate you calling Blaine names."

"And I don't appreciate how he is ruining our relationship! God! All we ever talk about is Blaine when you're not actually with him!"

She shrugged only lifting one shoulder making it lazy. The room is engulfed into a choking silence. Heads turn towards each with shell shocked faces. Noah had pulled Quinn closer to him; they started arguing in harsh hushed words. Kurt covered his face into his hands, and dug his elbows into his knees. A thick arm wrapped around his shoulder before he looked up to see Elliot sitting beside him. Eventually everyone started to mingle again, but there were no snacks being eaten. They all talked trying to ignore the unsettling feeling bubbling up in their stomachs like a potion.

Elliot, Kurt and Finn had shuffled back to their car the sky already melted into a deep black ocean. There were few stars out tonight. The fresh air smelt nice. Kurt breathed it in filling up his entire chest trying to calm down the pit stuck in his stomach.

"Blaine always seemed so happy. It just seems weird," Finn had said, as he un-locked the car with a little click.

"Can we not talk about it, Please?" Kurt had asked.

"Sure, yeah, whatever."

"I-I'm sorry, Sam," Blaine stuttered, as he was dragged to Sam's apartment. When they arrived, Blaine rubbed at the red circle strangling his wrist that was just occupied by Sam's hand. "It's just that… I kept thinking of my life back then compared to now, and I got really depressed. I'm sorry."

Kurt was laying on the glossed piano his stomach kissing the top of the instrument. He watched Blaine with soft eyes, and a little smile curving his lips up. A Katy Perry song was being pumped lightly through the speakers in the choir room, as Blaine did little turns all over the room. He eventually stopped in front of Kurt tickling the piano with a finger lighter than a feather.

"See?" Blaine had said, "We aren't going to get caught for skipping last period. It's the beginning of the year. No one really cares."

Kurt had nodded making grabby hands just as a toddler wanting their mother would. Blaine launched himself atop the piano lying beside Kurt, but his side was pressed up against the piano. He started trailing his finger down Kurt's back, lightly, as he had done earlier to the piano. Kurt had grumbled that it tickled. The smile taking up his entire face let it known to Blaine that he didn't want him to stop. Blaine propped his head with his hand. Watching Kurt's face, as he started to scratch Kurt's back underneath the shirt. It was complete ecstasy.

"Oh my god," Kurt groaned, "That feels so good."

"I love you," Blaine had sighed.

"I love you too."

"Blaine… sometimes you really make me—make me, ugh," Sam had started saying pacing a hole in the living room of his apartment.

"Irritated, angry, infuriated, wretched, sad?" Blaine had said from the ball he had curled himself in on the plush white fluffy couch. Sam looked at him one eyebrow curled upwards.

"Wretched?"

"Embarrassed."

"Then you make me feel all of the above of what you said. Blaine, your life now isn't as bad as you think it is. Stop dwelling on what's fucked up, and maybe start thinking of some of the memories that you have made with Puck and I. You always make it sound like we're making your life completely miserable, Blaine, but were not. Just open your eyes."

Sam marched into the kitchen, and Blaine just closed his eyes wishing that the needle had actually gone into his skin earlier. Why couldn't heroin be easy to use like a joint? Or cocaine even? There was some clattering, and eventually the hiss of a tea kettle. Mint started to musk up the apartment. Blaine loved that smell it was his favorite tea.

What had they gone into Walmart for again?

"Dudes, I found some sick one!" Puck exclaimed from the isle beside the one Blaine and Sam were in.

Oh, yeah. Water guns. Blaine dropped the plastic blue sword from his hand, and Sam had poked him in the back with the green one that was in his hand.

"My name is Inigo Montoya, you killed my father, prepare to die!" Sam said grinning.

They both giggled like little school girls. Puck came around the corner with three different water guns spilling over his arms. He boasted about them: how much water they held, how far they shot and how many time you could shot them in a row. Blaine just nodded along with everything Puck was saying, as they walked to the cashier. The lady behind the register had lightly scratched her fingers on the back of her neck, and coughed slightly after seeing their purchases. Her momentarily frown flipped into a smile like a switch when she asked them if they found everything they were looking for.

"So," Puck said wrapping Blaine's shoulder's up in his arm, as they walked out of the building, "Other than an epic water gun fight. What else do you want to do for your 21st birthday?"

"I want to buy some beer, duh," Blaine had said.