Aaaah yes. I stressed forever over how I would present Rose. She's a very, very grown up little girl-especially for being only four. And I realize she's fairly unrealistic, but I think that's how she needs to be. She's so naturally loving and nurturing and caring that, having the father she does who had to deal with the things he had to deal with, grew up a little quicker than she should have, but she still somehow manages to be a little girl. Anyway, here's chapter two!

Chapter 2

"Kurt." Blaine said in disbelief. He knew this was Kurt's father's shop, but he never in a million years expected Kurt to be here. "What are you doing out of New York?"

"I'm staying in Lima for a little bit. Saving up some money." Kurt explained. "New York has a really high cost of living."

Blaine tried to smile. "I'd bet."

"What about you?" Kurt asked. "What have you been up to? I haven't talked to you since… Since…"

"Christmas Eve, 2012. Yeah. I know." Blaine said bitterly. "Long story short, I disappeared to California for four years and now I'm back in Lima working as a kindergarten and high school history teacher, this is my daughter Rose, no I didn't have a straight streak in college, she's adopted." Blaine wondered to himself how many times he would have to tell this story now that his friends from high school had found him again.

'Although you're not that hard to find when you come running back to the place you knew them.' Blaine thought. Kurt looked a little stunned from taking in all that information at once.

"So you're back in Lima for good?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

"For a while, yeah." Blaine shrugged. "I figured it's better than moving back to LA where Rose will have to grow up surrounded by Hollywood and smog."

Burt, somewhere in the conversation, had left to look at Blaine's car, and Blaine tried to not let Kurt's presence rile him up, and in turn make Rose uncomfortable. But it was really hard to when the man you never really got over shows up seven years later out of the blue. 'Or when you show up.' Blaine corrected himself. 'This is his dad's shop, after all.'

Burt walked over to the two boys. "Well Blaine, I'd try to explain to you what's wrong but you said you don't know the first thing about cars."

Blaine smiled to himself. "True."

"So I'll just tell you it's an easy fix and you should be able to come get it tomorrow." Burt told him.

"How much do you think it will cost?" Blaine asked.

"I told you kid. It's on me. Take it as a really late college graduation present." Burt shrugged.

Blaine laughed. "Are you sure though? I wouldn't want to do that to you."

"You're not doing anything to me." They both paused. "Do you have another car back at your place?" Burt asked.

Blaine sighed. "No. But I can take a bus here tomorrow to pick it up. Just tell me what time."

"No. Blaine, I'll take you home tonight, and I can pick you up tomorrow to get you the car. Unless you have plans tonight or tomorrow."

"Well I do have a date tonight." Blaine said. "But that's with Rosie and I'm sure she won't mind making it a Netflix night."

Kurt smiled affectionately at the little girl before glancing back up at Blaine. "So do you want a ride?"

Blaine nodded. "Sure. Just let me grab her car seat."

The drive back to Blaine's house was silent, save the few muttered directions Blaine gave Kurt. Rose, the usual chatterbox, was late for her nap and silently asleep in the back seat.

Once in Blaine's driveway, Kurt killed the engine and started down at his hands, trying to find the right words. "That…" he began, before reevaluating his premeditated speech. "I'm so, so sorry about that Christmas Eve." Kurt said at last, glancing at Blaine.

"What," Blaine half asked, "That you broke up with me?" Kurt did a nod-shrug kind of move. "I'm not." Blaine shrugged.

"You were obviously upset about it then." Kurt pointed out. "And uncomfortable to see me, back at the shop."

"It was more the 'I've kissed him a few times' than the 'this isn't working for me' that upset me." Blaine said coldly.

Kurt opened his mouth to speak, probably to apologize again, but Blaine cut him off. "Save it. Thanks for the ride home, I'm sure your dad will tell you when my car's done tomorrow. But I really can take a bus."

Kurt was stunned at Blaine's harsh attitude, but wasn't going to go back on his promise. Well, not this one. "I'll be here when my dad calls me."

Blaine smiled apologetically. He was annoyed by hormonal teenagers everyday—why was he acting like one? "Thanks again for the ride. Do you mind if I leave Rose's car seat in here?"

Kurt smiled sympathetically, knowing Blaine was probably just having a rough day. "Of course. I'll see you tomorrow?" He cursed at himself internally for feeling excited about seeing Blaine again.

"Yeah." Blaine smiled. "I'll see you." He took turned, with his sleeping daughter in his arms, and started back towards his house.

"Wait!" Kurt called out. Blaine turned and Kurt continued. "Would you like to have coffee with me tomorrow, before we pick up at your car? At the Lima Bean, maybe? For old time sake?"

Kurt didn't miss the look of hesitation cross Blaine's face before the obviously staged smile showed up. "Sure. That would be fun."

Kurt held back his sigh of relief. Maybe living in this town wouldn't be completely terrible after all—at least not if Blaine could forgive him and become his friend again. "Great. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll text you about an hour before I come pick you up."

Blaine smiled, and this time it was sincere. After rattling off his phone number to Kurt he said, "Alright, I'll see you tomorrow."

Blaine was pacing the entry way in his house. Rose was sitting on a stool, hair up in pigtails, watching him. "Daddy, who was that man? Why does he make you uncomfortable? How do you know him?"

Blaine sighed. His daughter was one perceptive little girl. "We were best best friends when we were teenagers, like you and Riley." Blaine explained carefully. "But he's a year older than me and after he went to college we got in a really big fight, and didn't talk to each other for seven years. We just saw each other for the first time yesterday."

Rose nodded, as if she completely understood the emotional turmoil her father was going through. "I get that you were mad and in a fight, but seven years is an awfully long time so be so mad, daddy. Riley and I can't even stop talking for a few minutes without being really sad." She paused for a second, as if having a realization. "Is that why you're sad sometimes, daddy? Because you lost your best friend?"

Blaine smiled weakly at her. "You are way to smart for a four year old. Where did you learn all of this?"

"I'm perceptive." She said. "But I don't know what that means. Miss Carrie tells me that, but I don't know what it means."

Blaine laughed as the two heard a knock at the door. Rose ran to the door and flung it open. "Hi Mr. Kurt!"

"Hi, Rose!" he replied, equally as enthusiastic. "Are you and your dad ready for coffee?"

Rose stuck her tongue out. "Blegh. No. I hate coffee. It tastes all gross and stuff. But I'm ready for a smoothie!"

Blaine laughed and helped her into her car seat. The three silently drove to the Lima Bean, both Kurt and Blaine regretting the decision to go to coffee together. They knew it was going to be awkward, so why did they try?

They soon arrived at their old hangout, and got out of the car. Rose grabbed Blaine and Kurt's hands and quickly grabbed them inside. Blaine ordered first. "Can I have a medium drip and a small strawberry smoothie?" he asked.

The woman behind the counter smiled. "Will that be it?"

Kurt spoke up. "No, I'll have a medium mocha." The woman told them the price and Kurt handed her the correct amount of bills.

"Kurt, I can't let you do that." Blaine said.

"No, I insist." Kurt smiled. "I asked you here. Plus, I kind of owe you a lot after what I put you through."

Blaine bit his lower lip as the three found a place to sit down. "If we're keeping score, the world owes me a lot more than you do."

Kurt looked at him, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Blaine shrugged. "Oh, nothing much. I guess… I guess after what happened in high school, and then later in college, it's safe to say the world doesn't want me to be happy."

Kurt knew the high school comment was about him, but was curious about the other. "What happened in college?"