A/N: It's been a long time since I've had the free time to sit and think about this story, but I finally found time! I've figured out where it's going to go and I'm excited to see what other people think :)

Reviews are totally awesome!

Two weeks after Kurt had hauled a very drunk Rachel home, he got a call while eating Thai take-out and watching America's Next Top Model.

"Hello?" Kurt said with a faint sense of déjà vu.

"Kurt, I have a surprise for you!" He recognized the voice as Rachel, dialing him once again. Kurt sighed heavily in reply.

"FINN PROPOSED!" Kurt had to hold the phone away from his ear in order to keep his hearing intact.

"Wow! That's so great! How did it happen? Tell me everything!" Kurt asked, even though he already knew what had happened, as he had been planning with Finn for the past month.

As Rachel relayed the story over the phone, Kurt started doodling in a nearby notebook, barely listening and only muttering a few "Mmhmm, Oh that's so sweet!"s when Rachel paused. With all of the romance talk, Kurt couldn't help his train of thought leading back to his high school sweetheart. He wondered what Blaine was up to now and if he ever thought about the man he left behind. Kurt woke up every morning to a cold bed and empty apartment, and it broke his heart a little bit every time he looked around and realized what his life had come down to.

Once Rachel's story fizzled out, they both agreed on meeting up for coffee the next Thursday to discuss wedding preparations. Kurt hung up the phone and returned to his food that had grown cold and his television show that was wrapping up. After all the take-out was gone and only the late night comedy was on, Kurt decided to go for a walk. He needed some fresh air to clear his head and prepare for the stress that Rachel was about to give him in the coming months.

Pulling on his coat that he had bought especially for these Autumn New York nights, Kurt instantly relaxed and forgot all about work and romance and just focused on getting out the door. His apartment building was located on a street corner, opposite both a pizza place and a comedy club. When he first moved to New York City, Kurt had taken a lot more night walks like this to calm his nerves over school and forgetting the boy who didn't have any choice but to break his heart. But more recently, he had just resorted to plopping himself in front of the television and eating food to relax. Kurt denied the comments made by Rachel and his colleagues that he was "eating through his feelings". He had only gained a few pounds since he left college and Kurt had faith that his hyperactive metabolism wouldn't let him down. One time last winter, Rachel had walked into Kurt's apartment to find him with an empty box of Oreos and 2 half drunk bottles of cherry soda screaming at the latest episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She had suggested seeing a doctor or a therapist because she was afraid that Kurt was suffering from depression, and he had complied for a while, but not for long. After the therapist asked him about people who were special to him, Kurt had walked out the door, vowing never to go back to that silly place that just made him even more sad.

Finally out of his building, Kurt turned onto the street that lead past the comedy club and towards Central Park. The dim street lights guided him towards the 24/7 ice cream parlor down the street that Kurt had frequented many nights before. But, before he could get his hands on a delicious Cake Batter and Crunch bar dish, a few familiar lyrics stopped him. A young man was playing his guitar down the street and Kurt was overcome with emotion.

I walked across, an empty land

I knew the pathway like the back of my hand

I felt the earth beneath my feet

Sat by the river and it made me complete

Kurt was immediately taken back to a cool spring day in the McKinley courtyard. His transfer back to WMHS after leaving Dalton Academy was finally official and the Warblers with Blaine in the lead, of course, had sang goodbye in the form of that exact song. Both Kurt and Blaine had cried when the song finished and they had hugged passionately.

Kurt felt the ghost of those warm hands around him and he felt safe but once the street musician finished, the spell was broken and Kurt was slapped back into reality. He felt tears streaming down his face and heard them fall to the ground. He must have been quite a spectacle because several passers by were whispering and one even handed him a tissue.

"Wow, I've never had anyone react that way to my music before," The guitar player said. Kurt looked at his face and was crushed when he didn't see the familiar brown eyes staring back past overly gelled curly hair.

Kurt merely nodded and turned back towards his apartment. His brisk walk turned into a run and the tears were going as fast as his feet.

That Thursday, Kurt had recovered enough strength after his episode on the street corner to join Rachel for coffee. When he entered the small hut of a café, Kurt saw Rachel in a bright pink tunic with maroon leggings and cowboy boots sitting at a booth towards the back.

"Rachel, I'm almost embarrassed to be seen with you. What on earth are you wearing?" Kurt questioned incredulously.

"I just threw on the first thing in my closet. I was just too excited! Do you know how long I've been waiting for Finn to propose? Ever since sophomore year in high school! And he finally came through, oh Kurt! I'm so happy!" Kurt could hear the exclamation points in her voice.

"I know, Rachel, but a wedding is hard work. I've watched enough Bridezillas to know."

"Kurt, do you even know me? You of all people should know that I am prepared for anything and everything." With this, she pulled out a worn out peacock-feather printed notebook from the brown bag next to her.

"That's very true." Kurt agreed, eyeing the notebook.

"This is my wedding journal. Ever since the sixth grade when I went to my Aunt Jen's ceremony, I've written down my inspirations for the fateful day when I would get married." Rachel opened to a random page that contained several pasted photos of flower sets.

"I should have figured. Have I ever told you how much I admire you?" Kurt smiled for the first time in what felt like a century.

Maybe this whole assisting-the-bride kind of thing won't be half bad.

Blaine leaned into his bunk, holding his small calendar close to his heart. Less than a year, he told himself. In less than a year he'd be in the Lima, Ohio airport, calling Kurt's old cell phone number, praying he would pick up. In less than a year, Blaine hoped he would be packing his clothes from his parent's old house and moving to where ever the heck Kurt wanted him to move.

In less than a year he'd be able to apologize profusely to the boy who had turned into a man without him. He'd be able to beg and plead in person, if only to see Kurt and cherish his presence.

"So, who do you think will be the first to give, Cap'n or James?" a voice entered Blaine's tent.

He quickly wiped the tears that were threatening to run across his face, and hid the calendar under his mattress.

"Well, judging by the fact that the Captain's made of stone, probably… Oh, Hiya Blaine!" Louie said when he realized that he and Hank were not alone.

Hank had pulled through the small operation that the nurses had to do in order to remove the bullet from his left hip and, after almost four weeks, he was back up and joking with the guys once again.

"Hey, we're going down to the pit soon, you coming?" Louie asked.

Blaine nodded and stood up straight. The last Saturdays of every month were the days where all of the army men would gather around a bonfire and tell jokes and share stories and even sing a little if one of them happened to be musical, which Blaine most definitely was.

"I'll grab my guitar and meet you down there in ten, okay?" Blaine told the other guys.

"Sure thing, brother!" Louie said as both men left as soon as they had come.

Blaine reached under his cot for the small guitar that the Captain had lent him. Blaine knew that guitar like the one he had left back home, which was very well. Ever since that first Saturday bonfire, the Captain insisted that Blaine sing a few songs as to lift the other men's spirits. Secretly, Blaine knew that the Captain missed his radio just as much as everybody else did and would do anything for a bit of tunes on the camp.

Ten minutes later, Blaine took his usual spot on a log next to Louie and set the guitar down next to him. George, a man from bunk 217, was spinning a tale about how his ex-wife had once taken a knife to all of the flowers in her garden and tied them to the Christmas lights that hung year-round in their daughter's room.

"She woke up that morning to a fresh scent and a crazy woman leaning over her with a sticky butter knife. She just about died!" George chuckled.

All the men joined in the laughter, but Hank stopped it once he noticed Blaine sitting with his guitar.

"Hey, Blaine's here with his guitar! What are your requests, gentlemen?"

There were shouts of Ice Ice Baby and Baby Got Back, but one small man, who was recently enlisted leaned over and asked Blaine quietly, "Do you happen to know How Deep Is Your Love by the Bee Gees? It was my girlfriend's and my song and I'd really like to hear it."

"Yeah, I love that song!" Blaine nodded.

"Alright, alright! Calm down, everyone. Blaine has a song!" Hank hushed the crowd.

Blaine started strumming quietly until the only sound heard was the soft hum of the guitar. The men held their breath in anticipation.

I know your eyes in the morning sun

I feel you touch me in the pouring rain

And the moment that you wander far from me

I wanna feel you in my arms again

And you come to me on a summer breeze

Keep me warm in your love and then softly leave

And it's me you need to show

How deep is your love

Blaine's thoughts trailed off to where it was inevitably headed: Kurt. The music coming from the instrument and his mouth almost seemed foreign to the lost feeling that was coiling in Blaine's heart. He wondered how Kurt would react when Blaine finally called him up after five years without face to face contact. He wondered whether Kurt had finished college and had gotten his degree, or if he had followed his dreams and became a fashion designer or had gotten one of the parts he had auditioned for. Blaine wondered how Kurt would look. Maybe he would have more prominent cheekbones and he had grown into his height. The thought of premature wrinkles crossed Blaine's mind but the thought was whisked away with Blaine remembering Kurt's religious moisturizing routine.

When the song came to an end Blaine looked around and saw that all of the men looked very solemn and homesick.

"It reminds me of Kara." Louie said so softly that only Blaine heard. Kara was Louie's girlfriend back in Tennessee and they had tried to make their relationship work but, similar to Blaine and Kurt's, it couldn't weather the long distance.

Blaine gave him an encouraging pat on the back and looked to the Captain for help. He noticed and ushered the other men back to their cabins.

Finally, Blaine was the last one left around the dying fire, staring into its embers.

"C'mon, kid, it's getting cold." The Captain awkwardly shook Blaine's shoulder. Blaine nodded and picked up the guitar.

"I know you don't like being here, but less than a year, Blaine. Remember that." Those were the Captain's parting words as Blaine entered his tent and felt something small and wet fall from his eye to his chin.

Blaine wasn't one to cry in front of the Captain but being overcome with heart ache does that to a man sometimes.

Songs: Somewhere Only We Know - Keene (not sure if that's how you spell it or not?)

How Deep Is Your Love - Bee Gees