Bonjour! The italics are moments happening in the past and it's chapter with a lot of dialogues, but the story needs it to explain some things!

-XX-

He remembered, not as clear as day; it was still blurry in his mind, but he remembered coming here every summer, he was running in the golden fields and a man –Giorgio- was chasing him and he had a rich laugh accompanied by high-pitched giggles. Then, he remembered spending hours in his restaurant –the one he was at a couple of hours ago- drawing and waiting for his father to finish working because he wanted to go eat ice cream at Armanio's, the best Gelato in all of Florence and it was the favorite kids' spot. He also remembered being annoyed by a bigger kid, with blue eyes and a teasing smile. He didn't remember him much, though and his face was so blurry, but he remembered his name; Cooper. Then, the memories stopped. He was too young to remember anything else, but it was enough.

He didn't let his mom or Giorgio speak and tell him the truth. He wanted to be alone, so he didn't know the whole story. There were just so many people, staring at him in this living room; it was too much.

He heard soft footsteps approaching him on the veranda.

''It's a beautiful view, isn't it?'' And it was indeed. From afar, Blaine could see the green and gold hills and the golden fields. With the sun, it seemed to sparkle. He nodded silently and Giorgio sat next to Blaine, looking at the horizons like his son. It was silent for a couple of minutes, before Blaine decided to break it.

''I didn't mean to run like that,'' he said. Before his parents could talk and explain everything to him, he flew the room and spent three hours in Florence before coming back on the veranda. The sky was now a beautiful mix of pink and orange and it gave the field a more sinister look now that the darkness was creeping on the valley.

Giorgio shrugged like it didn't matter. ''You're not ready and I respect that. But know that…''

''I'm ready,'' he said quickly, interrupting his father. ''I'm just… there was too many people, that's all.'' He stood up suddenly and paced the veranda nervously. ''I mean, all of my life, I thought that that horrible man was my father. Then, a few weeks ago, I discover I had another change to get the dad I always wanted. But I thought I'll have to search for him myself, and it can take years! But then, I thought that maybe, he won't want me, be-because he never was in my life and…''

''Blaine, sit down.'' Giorgio said because he despite seeing his child -any of them- in distress, and wanted to explain his absence from his life and that it wasn't because he didn't want him or because he never loved him; but because he couldn't see him. ''You got everything wrong. I want to explain everything to you, please,'' he pleaded, refusing to go on knowing that Blaine had a wrong image of his biological father. He will explain, but if Blaine still refused to have nothing to do with him or is not willing to build a relationship between them as father and son, then he will be free to go.

He looked at Blaine who sat next to him. The last time he saw him, he was just a little boy. Now, he was a man; a very handsome man who had a whole future ahead of him.

''I'm going to tell you everything you need to know; all of it, but don't interrupt me,'' he said in a grave voice, but his kind eyes and his soft smile betrayed his seriousness; with Charles, he was severe and everyone believed it. Blaine nodded and hangs onto his every word. It could be a wonderful story, where his father was some sort of hero, but maybe it was a tragedy. Giorgio took a deep breath and began his tale with only a hint of an accent. ''Your mother and I met when we were eighteen. We hit it off right away. I just finished school and decided, the summer of 1983, to go in America to better my English. I was in New York; Mag was there as well for the summer. We fell in love,'' the way he said it, so nostalgic with a hint of bitterness or monotonic, Blaine couldn't tell. ''It was a blessing and a curse, at the same time,'' Blaine frowned, but didn't say anything. ''She was rich, born in a well-known family back in her hometown, Chicago. I wasn't one of them, and yet, we fell in love; but her family wasn't happy about it.''

''You're not going to see him again, am I clear, Margaret?

''But mom, I love him!''

''Nonsense. You're eighteen, you don't know what love is.''

''And you and dad knows better, I presume where your marriage was arrange?'' she screamed and her mother slapped her across the face. Her beautiful dark locks fell on her pale face, too shocked to move them back in their place. His mother looked calmer and rested a hand on her frail shoulder.

''I didn't want to do that, Margaret. I'm sorry. But you have to understand that this boy doesn't belong with us. It's just a summer fling, darling. We'll come back in the west side in no time and you'll soon forget him in your studies in university and will mingle with boys that will be in your environment,''

''Your mom is right, honey. You have nothing to do with this… Italian boy. He better get in his own country instead of making our streets dirty with his kind,'' his father, who had stepped into the room, said to her, racism pouring out of his every pour.

''Then, in August, she got pregnant. Her family was furious. They ordered her to get an abortion, but she didn't want to. I refused, to, but her parents didn't want my opinion. She stayed in New York during her pregnancy and I stayed by her side. ''

''We want you to leave,''

''What?''

''Go back to Italy. Once the baby is born, he'll be in adoption.''

''What? No! I want to keep him,''

''And put my daughter in misery? It's because of you and your sinful ways that she's like that today. I always knew Italians were just good to seduce innocent girls.''

''But I love her! I think it's up to her of what she wants to do. You don't control her life,'' he said at the two adults in front of him. Robert, Maggie's father, looked down at him with a severe and condescending look.

''If she wants to raise the baby, she'll be penniless. I will disown her. Think about it. All she knows is this comfortable life and you're ready to take if from her? If you really love her, you'll do what's best for her.

Blaine was now shocked as his father recalled the conversation that still haunted his dreams from now and then.

''And what did you do?'' he asked in a murmur. He never was close with his grandparents. He never knew everything, as he was younger, he asked his mother, she always found a way to distract him as she glared at her parents when she saw the gift they gave to little Blaine every Christmas; a significant smaller one then the other siblings or cousins. Or on every birthday, he only received a card while his older brothers and sister all had great gifts. He always noticed some fights with his mother and grandparents and his name being pronounced, followed by the word ''bastard''. They were always cold towards him, but he never wondered why. As he got older, he didn't question anything and just began to call his grandparents the old hag and the old perv. Now, it made more sense. They knew about him, as well as Cooper and Julian, he presumed. It still didn't give them the right to judge or threat him differently; he was still their grandson.

''I refused to leave. I stayed until she gave birth to Cooper. The next day, I went to the hospital and…'' his voice trembled, showing his true emotions. ''She was gone, but the baby was still there. A nurse gave me a card, it said: The baby is all yours. Don't contact us ever again. We will give you enough money to provide for you and your son until he reaches his sixth birthday to help you start on the right foot. -Albert and Rosaline Jackson.

''I came back to Italy and my parents screamed at me,'' he said, but he laughed all the same. ''Italians tend to be over-dramatic, seeing as it was in the restaurant, for every costumer to see. It was kind of a spectacle. Anyways, the restaurant I own now was my parents' back in the day. I helped them as I raised Cooper. Soon after his fourth birthday, I saw this.'' He stood up and pulled out an old journal; the corners were yellowish and wrinkled.

Charles Anderson Jr, founder of the Casablanca's hotels is getting married to Margaret Elle Jackson, the heir of Robert Jackson's and cosmetics!

It showed a picture of a radiant Maggie looking lovingly at Charles and it was followed by a lengthy article.

''I knew then that I've really lost her, but at least, I knew where she was. I wanted to contact her and wanted to know why she left and why she never tried to reach me. I knew where I'm from, where my family lived… I just wanted to know what happened ten years ago.'' He signed. ''Long story short, I was able to see her again. At first, she was angry at me.''

''Why?'' Blaine asked, wide eyes staring at his father.

''How did you find me?'' she said in a cold tone.

''You're getting married,'' he said in a defeat voice, shrugged.

''Well, yes. To a man I love.''

''Do you, really?''

''Don't be absurd; I love him,'' she said, starting to lose patience. ''What are you doing here?''

''I want to know why you left me with a baby, our baby, Mag.'' Tears of frustrations were now in her eyes and she was breathing hard.

''It's a sick joke, Gio, so you better get the hell out of here!''

''Why is it a joke?'' he asked, confused. ''I…''

''that baby is death. He couldn't even see the light of day and when I woke up, you were gone.''

''What…?'' he was now lost and upset.

''Don't play dumb with me. When I woke up, my parents were there and told me that the baby had complications and didn't survive and that you are back in Italy and realized that you were way too young to have a committed relationship and a kid, so you just… vanished,'' she spat the word at him.

''I came back in Italy, but with our baby!''

''After the conversation, she made her parents admit everything. How they lied to the both of us and that they didn't want her future to get ruined with a baby in the way. It took her months to overcome the loss of the baby and I. The very same day that she woke up at the hospital, she was leaving to study in Stanford where she met Charles.''

''She didn't know she was a mom'' Blaine whispered, staring at nothing.

''But her life continued in Miami, so was mine here. She didn't want to leave Charles; she was scared about her reputation and at the time, she really wanted to marry him and anyways, when I first saw her, she was pregnant. But she wanted me and Cooper in her life, so every summer, and every time of the year that she could, she flew here and spent time with us. Cooper was at an age that could understand pretty well and he really understood. He was just happy to finally have a mom. Then, Charles began to look suspicious at those trips and as to why she never wanted to take the children with her. She said that it was her time off for herself. And this is where he learnt the whole truth. We never did nothing wrong; we were now friends, but we had a kid together. We explained everything and he was, surprisingly so, okay with this. But a few years after that, we became to get closer and we quickly began an affair.

''You have sex with him behind my back!'' Charles screamed. ''I trusted you and let you go to fucking Italy and then, what happened? You were fucking him!''

''Charles, please,'' Maggie begged.

''Oh, safe your excuses!''

''I didn't know what I was doing. All those mix feelings… try to understand, he was my first love and I guess I just let myself go… Please, I'm so, so sorry.''

''We won't get a divorce,'' he finally said in a cold tone. ''But I forbid you to ever, EVER see him again. Am I clear?''

''But she didn't…''

''No. We still saw each other. It was so strong; we just had to see each other. We fell in love again… and soon after that, she was pregnant with you. She didn't want to tell Charles; try to understand her point of view, Blaine. She was really vulnerable. She always lived in money and luxury and if a guy like Charles learnt what happened, and then he was going to ridicule her in the medias and she will lose everything; her family, her life, her reputation. I told her the best way to it, it was for her to pass you as his child. It worked for five years. Casablanca's hotels were really becoming popular and Charles had to travel a lot during that time to promote his hotels and some times, Maggie let the children in her parents' care while she took you with her and came here. Then, Charles discovered everything for a second time. He actually hired a spy to do the dirty job,'' his tone was bitter. ''And he paid me a visit.''

Charles looked him up and down, his gaze blazing with fury and disdain. The restaurant was closed and Giorgio was standing still, defiant. ''You're the guy who my wife has an affair with for years and the father of that bastard of a son.'' He shook his head. ''I always knew there was something wrong with him. He doesn't look anything like me or Maggie. He's just a bastard, a good for nothing who's gonna be useless in life, just like his real father!''

''I forbid you to say things like that about my son,'' Giorgio said in a harsh tone. From the two men, Giorgio was defiantly the handsome one of the two; with a strong jawline, jet-black curly hair, big hazel eyes that wasn't so uncommon to Italian people, but it was so unsettling; like two golden pools and muscular body from the hard work he had to do in the restaurant by lifting things, like boxes of different kinds. Blaine was the spitting image of his father. Charles, on the other hand, spending days in an office didn't led to have a very well sculptured body like Giorgio, he didn't have the golden skin of Giorgio either and his eyes were a dull brown; he wasn't ugly, of course not. But his money helped a lot for having multiple affairs at his feet.

''But look at you… working at a restaurant; this is the only thing you're going to own.'' He punched Giorgio right in the stomach and before he his senses came back to him, Charles was already gone and this was the first and last time he ever saw him in person.

''Maggie stayed with him, but Charles was colder. He wasn't an angel to begin with, but now, he was crueler. He really conditioned Maggie into believing that she never was right and that he was the man who controlled the household and such things… it made Maggie more vulnerable and dependant of him because she was now just a shell of herself and her strong persona from her early life was long gone.'' And it was true, Blaine thought. His mother for as long as he could remember, was always in Charles' shadow, always doing and acting the way that Charles wanted and she was more shy, too. He had no doubt that her mother was once a fearless and independent woman… who had married a man that her parents sent her way, unfortunately.

''She was unhappy. But there's one thing that Charles couldn't take from her and it was me and Cooper. She wanted to see us as often as possible. In the outmost of secrets. She didn't bring you with her because it was too risky. We continued to love each other and then, a few years later, we had Julian.'' A random thought crossed Blaine's thought; they don't know about comdoms?

''I remember,'' Blaine suddenly said and he was even surprised by his statement. ''I… I was pretty young, but my brothers and sister told me that she was gone a few months to participate at a big charity event that happened in India. I knew she always loved that sort of things, but… it wasn't true, was it?'' Giorgio shook his head.

''We protected ourselves, but it happened. I was just sad that you couldn't see your little brother.'' He said. ''He looked a lot like you,'' he added with a small smile. Blaine smiled back, seeing an image of a teenager Julian with a smirk and malice in his eyes. Suddenly, Giorgio was serious again.

''But don't think for one moment that I didn't love you or that I didn't want you. We were just trapped and I wanted the best life for you… It's not the main reason, but you were able to be with the Elite, to be in the best schools and be surrounded by the best of people. Like Maggie's father once said to me, I couldn't take this life away from her and I didn't want that for you either.''

''I would've mind,'' He immediately said.

''But as a father, I wanted the best for you. And she already had some kids with that man and a family of her own and you were included in it. I couldn't take that away from you. But I think about you every day. I have tons of pictures of you hanging around in my house and the restaurant. From baby photos to teenage photos. Maggie sends them to me. Cooper and Julian feel like they already know you because they watch you growing up on our walls'' He chuckled.

''Speaking of Cooper and Julian… how is that that they speak fluently English like that?'' He was genuinely curious as to why his brothers, who were supposed to live in Italy, speaks and expresses themselves so well in English. He just wanted to know everything about this family; he was a part of it, after all.

''Actually, I wasn't in Italy very often when they were young. As soon as Cooper turned three, I moved to New York, hoping to see Maggie again. That in a crazy fantasy of mine, she'd come back in NY looking for me. With the money her parents sent me, I reopen the restaurant I have here in New York, but it was smaller. It worked fine and we were there for three years, but I missed my family, so I came back to Italy. At that stage, Cooper knew English very well. Then I worked again for my parent's restaurant, and when Julian came to the world, many years later, I've decided to go back to New York because it was easier for Maggie to see her sons. I did this all for her. So my sons pick up the language fairy well and I still have a restaurant in New York.''

''You do?'' he asked, surprised.

''Yes. So I go there pretty often. Maggie only communicates to my boys in English. But yes, I have another restaurant. But there, I have a partner, so when I'm not there, he's in charge. It works really well, too. I didn't want to sell it the first time I had it, because it was a good place, but I couldn't manage to take care of two restaurants, so I have some help in NY.'' Blaine hummed in agreement, still unsure about what to say. His father was a business man; not the same one as Charles and definitively not as greedy.

They stayed in silence for a long moment. The sky was now dark and a warm breeze embraced them. It was now clearer for Blaine. Yes, he was brought up in a weird kind of family, but he felt relief to see that Charles wasn't his only father-figure.

It wasn't until the sun had gone completely and the sky was just a dark orange color that Giorgio spoke again, but this time, with cheerfulness he didn't have before. ''So, do you want to talk about this boy of yours?'' Blaine gave him a small, sad smile.

''I'm sure you've heard about it.'' His father shook his head and signed.

''Your my son, Blaine. All these years, I didn't care about what those people say about you in those magazines. I don't care, Blaine. You're here in front of me, now I want you to talk to me.'' Blaine didn't know why, but he began to tear up. It was so amazing to have an understanding father. Charles didn't care if he was gay, as long as it stays in closed doors and he'd rather read those gossips who said that or this about his supposed son instead of listening of what Blaine really had to say, even if those gossips were true. At the end of the day, Charles only trust the medias, but Giorgio, even though he knew his son made the covers for his behavior for the past years, never tried to know his son via the magazines and Blaine couldn't be more grateful.

''I love him.'' He simply said, looking straight ahead like he was in a trance, lost in thoughts. Memories of the past resurfaced; that smile, those sparkling blue eyes, that cute dimple on his chin and his smooth pale skin against him.

''I'm sure you do, Blaine. Maggie told me a lot of good things about him, too,'' he informed his son with a kind smile. It was encouraging to see such a positive attitude from Giorgio, but Blaine just felt sadness and longing. He thought talking about Kurt could heal the pain and the lost, but it just hurt him more. He wanted to stop talking about him and maybe call it a night and if possible, trying to have a sleepless night, but he kept going.

''I hurt him.'' He finally said. ''I love him so much and I hurt him so badly. I never thought I could fall so fast for someone, but I did. I did…'' He stood up abruptly, now anger and regret crept unto his body and mind. ''In only a few months, he became my whole world. I hate myself for doing what I did. How I hate myself!''

''Blaine, you have nothing to feel guilty about. I know you truly love him. Everything's going to be fine.''

''How do you know?'' Blaine asked as he turned to look at his father. ''He trusted me since the beginning. He truly loved me since the beginning while I just wanted to play a stupid game to entertain me and my stupid brothers! I really wanted to hurt him, to humiliate him because that's all I have ever known.'' He said.

''Yes, you wanted to do this. It was the plan at the start and while I and your mother are not impressed, we're impressed about how you've changed, Blaine. You did some mistakes and if you want Kurt back, you just need to rectify them.'' He stood up and patted Blaine on the shoulder. ''The important thing in all of it is that you began to fall in love as well and wanted to protect him. You didn't want to play anymore.''

And then, he left the veranda, leaving Blaine with his thoughts and a heavy heart.