A HUGE thank you to my beta, Christine! And to Laura, who is the best cheerleader a girl could ask for!

Halloween with a bunch of five year olds was fun, but incredibly tiring. Sixteen boys and girls came to class that morning dressed as something—or someone—different. Each of them was so excited to spend an entire day playing make believe, and Blaine smiled widely as they paraded around the classroom—and the school—trick or treating to other classrooms. They were all so excited to share their costumes, especially Kadie, who was telling everyone that she and her daddy made her costume and didn't buy it at the store.

Kadie's daddy who Blaine hadn't heard from all week. It wasn't that Kurt owed him any of his time or his attention; they were friends, not obligated to each other in any way. But they'd been spending so much time together: between Santana's weekly gatherings and then weekdays when Blaine would just go over to Kurt's and they would just hang out, enjoying music or movies, TV, or coloring with Kadie. But the text Blaine had sent on Sunday went unanswered. Maybe Kurt had been busy and had forgotten to reply, Blaine had certainly done that to Cooper a number of times. But when Kurt didn't pick up Kadie from school Monday or Tuesday, and his text on Wednesday was never answered, Blaine had begun to worry. The next morning he pulled Kadie aside before class started and asked her if her dad was alright. She seemed to think he was more than alright because they'd been spending every night that week watching movies. He dismissed her back to her table with a smile, knowing that was the only answer he was likely to get. And he had no other choice but to accept that.

It had been rough, but he and Kurt managed to find their way to a comfortable friendship with very little awkwardness; at least Blaine had thought so. And yes, sometimes Blaine remembered what if felt like to kiss Kurt and feel him, warm, beneath his fingers. And sometimes he wondered if the thoughts and feelings he had would still be there come May, when the school year was over, when Kadie was no longer his student, and when Kurt's heart had a little more time to heal. Until then, he was content waiting.

His phone beeped on his desk and he knew without looking that it was Sam making sure he wasn't about to bail on the Halloween party at Hummels. He wasn't. In fact, he was looking forward to it and was currently trying to figure out how much eye liner was appropriate for his pirate costume. Marley would be there in a little while and they were going to Hummels together. He'd come to really enjoy Marley's company and cherish their friendship since she came to work at the school, especially when she seemed to give him a knowing look when he told her about his weekends with Kurt and Kadie. He may not have ever said it to her out loud, that despite all of his efforts, his feelings for Kurt were not entirely platonic, but Marley knew his secret anyway and silently promised not to tell a soul.

An hour later, Blaine and Marley took their seats on either side of Sam at the large table they had reserved. Puck was dressed in a suit as a member of the secret service; Santana—though working—was dressed as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, complete with the basket and braids; Marley was dressed in a glove tight dress and high platform shoes, making a lovely Posh Spice that Sam, dressed as Alan from The Hangover (complete with fake baby), was practically drooling over. They ordered drinks and waited around to see where the night would take them.

"Where's Kurt?" Blaine asked another hour later. He was sitting at the table alone—Sam and Marley were on the dance floor—when Santana brought another round of drinks.

"He took the tiniest Hummel trick or treating and said he'd be here after bedtime and the arrival of grandpa Hummel," Santana told him then added, "and if you see him going into the back tonight, you tattle to me. He's supposed to having fun."

Before Santana could walk away, Blaine took a risk in asking what he'd been meaning to ask all night, "Has Kurt—is he alright?"

"What do you mean?" Santana asked curiously, protectively.

"I don't know. He's just seemed…a little distant this week."

"He's busy," Santana snapped, "Even if I tell him to take a fucking break every once and a while."

"I know. I was just concerned."

Santana deflated, "I know. He'll be here soon and you'll see you had nothing to worry about."

The hours went by. Kurt never showed up.

He should have been out. He knew that. He told Santana he would be at Hummels after trick or treating was over and Kadie was sugar high and safely in his father's care. But when they'd gotten home and Kurt had finished wiping what remained of a pop star from his daughter's face, he didn't feel much like changing into a costume and celebrating amongst the masses. Though, right now, he really wanted to be anyone but himself.

It had been a week. And for those seven days Kurt tried to go on with his life as if everything was alright, while staring at his phone, waiting to see if it would light up again; if the name that appeared on Friday would rear its ugly head again. He hadn't answered the phone when Daniel had called, he'd stood on the porch until the screen went blank, then went into the house and sent his dad home as quickly as possible. And then he sat in the dark living room staring at the phone that showed no sign of life. Daniel hadn't left a voicemail and he hadn't called back. After the first time trying to contact Kurt in over a year, why had Daniel stopped trying to easily? And why now? Why, when Kurt finally felt like he was getting his life back together without Daniel, did this have to happen? All these were new unanswered questions, piled on top of an already large list. Maybe it had been an accident—a call by mistake. But the damage had been done. Kurt had tried so hard to push Daniel to the back of his mind and he'd been half way there before a single phone call wiped away all his hard work.

So instead of hugging his father and being with his friends, he was at home. Kadie was asleep in her bed, his father was doing whatever it was that Burt Hummel did in his free time, and Kurt sat in his living room, taking comfort in his couch, the wound that had just started to really heal tearing open, the tightness in his chest just as strong as it had been the morning he'd woken up alone. The one that was with him for a months' worth of mornings after that. The pressure building behind his eyes, he told himself that he shouldn't cry. But it was that or scream so he let the tears pool and then slide down his cheeks into cushions of the couch. But he wasn't sad, not really, he was angry.

Kurt sucked in a deep breath then picked up the pillow beside him and threw it across the room. It landed with a soft thud in front of the bookcase. It wasn't enough that Daniel had destroyed what was, he was now destroying what could be. Because of a stupid phone call and because he'd left him without the slightest bit of closure. He wasn't sure how much he cared anymore that Daniel was gone, it was that he'd left Kurt stuck, unsure of how to go on. He wasn't able to move forward and he wasn't able to go back. He was left to raise their daughter alone, live in the house they'd made their own, sleep in a bed that once held two. And without knowing why he'd left and if he ever planned on coming back.

And what would Kurt do if Daniel called back? If there was a voice on the other end of the phone? What would he do if Daniel showed up on his doorstep? Their doorstep. If he swept back in there tonight and told him that he still loved him, that he'd made the greatest mistake of his life by leaving that day, what would Kurt do? What would he say?

Kurt didn't have the answers to any of those questions. Blaine had asked him once, and not knowing had contributed to the demise of their romantic relationship. But what was even worse than not knowing was the idea that he might never know. Daniel would likely never call again; he'd likely never step foot in this house again; see his daughter again. And the only thing Kurt did know was that he needed to learn to be okay with that. He needed to learn that he couldn't spend his life with the unanswered questions hanging over him, preventing him from really living his life; preventing him from finding the happiness that had been taken away from him. Maybe Daniel would just stay gone and Kurt could learn how to live again.

He took another deep breath, sat up a bit on the couch and looked around the room. He'd redecorate, maybe buy a new couch. Starting at soon as humanly possible, he would rid the house of all the negative energy, all the bad memories and all of the sadness. He'd let the light really shine into the house, give it life again…give him life again. He wiped the final tear from his cheek and let the possibility wash over him. Tomorrow he'd get paint and actually look through the stack of catalogs that were sitting next to his bed. Kadie was asking to paint her room purple, and maybe now was the time to give in. Now was the time for them to get their lives back.

His phone beeped and he nervously reached for it where it sat on the coffee table. For the first time in seven days, he smiled a tiny smile when he saw that it was Blaine asking if he was coming up.

Blaine.

The only thing more confusing and frustrating than trying to figure out everything with Daniel, was trying to figure out everything with Blaine, especially where his feelings were concerned. Being with Blaine those first couple of days had been like waking up from a long sleep. Like looking towards the sky after a long time of staring at the dirt. They'd fallen so quickly—maybe even too quickly—into things that trying to come back from that had been long and a bit difficult, but it had been for the best. Because the time since then, Kurt had gotten to know Blaine. He'd gotten to see how amazing of a teacher he was. Sometimes he was sure that Kadie liked Blaine more than him. Every day it was Mr. Anderson this and Mr. Anderson that, and Kurt could see how much Kadie was learning, and how much she loved learning it. It was the mark of a truly great teacher. But maybe more importantly, he'd gotten to know Blaine as a friend. As someone Kurt could rely on. When Kadie got sick at school, Blaine had not only stayed with her, but he'd reassured him on the phone that everything would be okay when Kurt was certain the world was ending. He'd become his partner on those Friday nights were Kurt didn't want to leave Kadie with her grandfather, so instead they played board games at his kitchen table. And sometimes Blaine would come over and they would just be. They had a ton in common, and Blaine always had a story to tell about his students—both past and present. And talking to an adult was nice. Blaine had become a part of his life and somehow while they were trying so desperately to just be friends, Kurt managed to fall for Blaine more than ever. Blaine was kind and charming, funny and sweet, and he was amazing with Kadie. While they were trying to make things easier on themselves, Kurt had found himself more enchanted by Blaine. When he was with Blaine, he felt like he was living his life.

Kurt Hummel was not going to stay stuck anymore. He couldn't keep waiting for someone else to come and bring him happiness or make him smile. In the dark of his living room he made a vow: that he would say FUCK YOU to his past and remember that there were people in his life now who made him smile: Kadie, his father, Santana, Blaine. He could, and would, move forward. It was time for Kurt to get what he wanted, to live his life like some asshole hadn't destroyed it. So he sent a text to Santana only to receive a reply a moment later saying that she was heading home, his chance to start anew would have to wait until morning. But he'd go to sleep and wake up rested, ready to face his new life with a lighter heart. The world was within his reach. It was time he snatched it up.

Kurt: Are you going to the movies with us tonight?

Blaine: Bowling is to Kurt Hummel as horror movies are to Blaine Anderson.

Kurt: You're bad at horror movies?

Blaine: Ha. Ha. You're funny. I hate them.

Kurt: Then tell Santana she can see this one on her own. We can see something else.

Blaine: I tried suggesting alternatives and she made it sound like a personal insult. So my options are go, or stay home.

Blaine: It's not even Halloween anymore.

Kurt: Is Cooper still threatening to kick you out if you don't go socialize with the locals?

Blaine: Actually, he has no idea I have plans tonight. He and Allison are having date night.

Kurt: You could have the house to yourself.

Blaine: But that's LAME Kurt.

Kurt: You sound like my daughter.

Blaine: Another reason I should spend time with adults. I'm starting to sound like my students.

Kurt: Your students can't get into R-rated movies, Blaine.

Blaine: I know that.

Kurt: Do you want me to talk to Santana?

Blaine: No. But you're not allowed to judge me when I cover my eyes.

Kurt: I can't make any promises.

AN: My apologies for the shorter chapter, but I'll make it up to you next time! I promise!

Thanks for reading, lovelies! Please leave a review and let me know what you think!