A.N.: Short, but it's a bridge to the crossroad chapter that is the next one, which is almost ready.

Chapter 7: His return

Kurt is brought to tears by our rendition of "Somewhere only we know" at his school. He obviously hadn't expected anything from us, and, even less, something like this. So, as we come out, on Mercedes' cue, and start singing to him, those blue-green eyes start watering. By the time we finish, they have become dripping hoses.

And it was all I could do not to cry too, especially when, at the last verse, he pulled me in for a hug that, clearly, meant much more than a goodbye. It was a promise of friendship, a promise of no goodbyes between us. Despite the fact that Kurt had embraced some of the Warblers, as we filed beside him at the end of the song, clearly it was ours that lasted the most, and, possibly, it was the most meaningful too.

As we pull apart, and he looks into my eyes, I know he is searching for some reassurance, trying to make sure that he isn't reading too much. I stand there, calmly, as patiently and as openly as I can, desperate to convey to him that he can trust me. So I say it. "Kurt, we're still friends. No matter what happens."

I hear a short intake of breath around me, and realize that, suddenly, some of the New Directions girls are looking a little strange at me. I'd dare to say they're looking furiously, but it is too short-lived, because, after inhaling just as loud as they had, my friend smiles brightly at me. "I know," he replies.

I can't shake the idea that he sounds slightly disappointed, but, when he takes one of my hands in both of his, I instantly forget it. Kurt then turns to look at the group. "Thank you so, so, so much. I… I never thought you all cared so much."

Wes is the first to come closer when he sees the ex-Dalton student is now looking down again, as if ashamed to look at the group he belonged to not a week before. "Kurt," he calls, and I resist the urge to wince when the countertenor looks up too nervously. However, unfazed, our Council President simply lays a hand on the pale boy's shoulder, as if to shoo anything that might plague the younger singer. "You will always have a place amongst the Warblers. You will always be one of us."

I can't fight the happiness I feel as Wes manages to say the exact words that make Kurt start crying again. My friend is strong, I know that more than anyone else does, and I know he is not what people call a crybaby. Today, however, we seem to be hitting all the right buttons to make him do just that.

Maybe because she's also come to the same conclusion, Mercedes pulls him into a tight hug against her chest, and, surprisingly, he allows the contact, nestling himself there as he freely permits those salty drips to fall. I can tell that some of the heterosexual boys are quite envious as they watch the scene.

After a few more minutes, the small crowd that had gathered during our performance already breaking off, Kurt finally manages to pull himself together, gently pulling away from his friend, who casually lets her arms unfold from his figure. He sniffs the last trails of tears away and, with a very vulnerable, yet sincere expression, he addresses the group. "I can't thank you enough – not only for this amazing show, but for supporting me, for being my friends… For…" he trails off, a little insecure before he resumes the sentence, "for having my back."

The Warblers smile and cheer, but Kurt is not done yet. He looks at the New Directions members, as if they could somehow speak wordlessly, but Mercedes seems to understand what he wants. The dark-skinned girl nods and says, "Go ahead."

Before we can ask anything, Kurt has started speaking again, his yes looking at us intensely. "Please, come to our school again next Tuesday." When it is obvious that none of us understand why he is asking that, he elaborates a little more. "Tuesday is Glee club day, and since I am considered a new student, I have to audition to rejoin the club."

Perhaps this is news to the other members, because some of them start complaining. I can identify at least Rachel, Finn, Quin and Tina doing so.

"You don't need to, Kurt!" Quinn says, and she emphasizes that by looking at him pointedly. "We know you're capable."

"Yes," Rachel chimes in, "I, of all people, recognize your talent. You don't need to audition."

"Bro," Finn complements the girls, "you've always been one of us. You don't have to ask to come back to the team. You never left."

"I know," my friend whispers softly, and we know he is not just saying it. He knows what they say is true. "But I want to. I really do… and I want the Warblers to be there when I do just that."

We all look at each other, both show choir groups, but we all know the answer.

"We'll be there." David answers with a smile. "Definitely."

~!GLEE!~

We park our cars in front of McKinley, one third of us catching a ride to lessen the amount of cars making the short Westerville – Lima trip. As we all assemble together, Finn and Quinn come out of the building to meet us, shaking our hands and looking genuinely happy with our presence.

As they lead us inside, a lot of the Warblers have the opportunity to take a better look at the school, most of them having never set foot inside a public one before – unless they counted the patio stairs where we performed for Kurt at the beginning of the week. Cameron and John even ventured some questions, which Quinn readily answered, while Finn pointed some rooms, giving us a general and brief tour.

I didn't pay much attention, as I had been here before and Kurt had slowly walked me through these hallways, with at least one story for every corner. So I let my mind wander off as we walk to the auditorium, thinking about how much I had missed my best friend. It had been only three days and a half, and I was already feeling the weight of a life without the countertenor in it.

The first day had seemed to drag on forever, and it seemed like a lifetime until morning classes were over and we hurriedly drove off to perform here. I had already felt then what the rest of my school life was going to feel like without Kurt, and, wow, did it suck. I can hardly imagine getting through it, but I know I'll have to. I can only hope that, as time does to all things, it will ease this emptiness that I feel, maybe even nullify it, eventually. If it doesn't, I'm doomed to flunk at least half my subjects, out of boredom. I don't know how I got by before I met him, but, apparently, now I can't go on without him. As pathetic as it sounded, the thought pretty much summarized what I had felt all week… and as I was already feeling that on Monday, when Kurt invited us here to watch his audition, I jumped for joy at the chance to come see him again.

"We're here." Finn announces. "Welcome to the choir room."

Looking around, I am genuinely surprised at the lack of things for a Kurt Hummel performance. I was so sure my friend would go all out, using all the props and costumes he could find, and all the space their auditorium could offer. Curiously, I observe as the Warblers look around, completely surprised at the small room, especially when compared to Dalton's huge and richly furnitured choir room. Wisely, most of them decide to remain silent.

The place has more chairs than I remember, therefore seeming smaller than it really is. Many of the New Directions group are already seated, but, though all of them smile at us, and some even wave, Rachel is the only who gets up.

With an enormous smile on her face, she walks to me and gives me a generous hug, which I awkwardly return. "Hello, Blaine," the girl says, "I'm so happy you could make it. He's been looking forward to this all week."

"So have I." I reply without thinking, but it is true, none-the-less.

The brunette blinks, but decides no to comment, and then indicates towards the chairs. "Please, take a chair."

She pulls my arm and seats me beside her. As the Warblers sit down rather noisily, Rachel leans towards me and whispers, her voice carried with a completely different tone than her usual confident one. "Blaine, we dated briefly and I consider you a friend. So, tell me, what do you think of my nose?"

I am totally astonished by the question. Really, this group never ceases to amaze. If I lived a thousand young years and so did they, it would probably not be enough to end the surprises. Where did this come from? And what did she expect me to say? I hesitate to answer, but figure it's best to be honest. "I'm not sure I understand your question, Rachel."

Not that I was ever one for lying, anyway.

Not fazed in the least, and true to her character, the girl answers with her signature bluntness. "What do you think about me getting a nose job?"

I'm rendered speechless yet again. She's thinking of getting a nose job? And why is she asking me? We've gone out, and kissed, and even tried romantic dates, but, surely, that's not enough to make me someone ideal to consult with.

Before I am forced to answer, however, Kurt walks through the doorway, looking fantastic as always and happier than I remember seeing him. Most of us get up to greet him, hugging him and commenting on how great he looks.

"Damn, Hummel, you make me wish I was gay." That particular phrase was uttered by none other than Trent, which earned him the stares of most of the people in the room.

Kurt, however, smirks. "I'd be happy to help you deviate your path." The countertenor replies, a hint of mock flirtation, to which most of us laugh, although I don't find it as amusing as everyone seems to.

"If it's you, I might think about it," the Warbler says, this time succeeding in making our friend blush.

A few minutes later, Mr. Schuester finally arrives and signals everyone to sit down. When we do, he immediately launches into a speech. "Hello, Warblers. Welcome again to our McKinley High School. I trust that New Directions has treated you well?" He asks, to which most of us nod. "Great, because you took such good care of Kurt, we are more than happy to return the favor anytime you decide to come…"

"As long as there is no spying involved!" Rachel interrupts.

Many New Directions members look at her with exasperation, but the Warblers laugh heartily. After all, the first time Kurt came to us, he was an endearing yet not-so-undercover spy.

"… And we'll be glad to extend the same hospitality. Kurt, the floor is yours." The Spanish teacher says, hastily ending any further comments. A very smart move, in my opinion.

The countertenor gets up and, after brushing his clothes with his hands, walks to the front of the room and turns to stand before the piano. I barely register the blonde man that is sitting there, quietly waiting for his cue.

"Fellow singers, I'd like to start by explaining my choice of stage. As you know, this is our choir room, the place that holds so many memories and performances of this Glee Club. However, it is also the place where I said goodbye. This is the place that had me thinking so many 'what if's'. Therefore, it is also where I decided to audition." He says, blue irises clearer than ever.

I see some of the New Directions members nodding their heads, and Mercedes may even be dropping a tear, if my eyes are not playing tricks on me.

Apparently unperturbed, Kurt continues after a few seconds. "This song summarizes my thoughts, and it speaks for itself." Turning to the pianist, he nods.

The first notes start to play, and the melody immediately fills my body. It is beautiful enough, played by the violins, the piano and the other instruments, but, when Kurt starts singing seconds later, completely dominating the song's atmosphere and all of its notes, we are rendered breathless.

Not just New Directions, but, especially, the Warblers as well.

His beautiful voice rises for the high notes and instantly drops for the low ones with every beat. The way he sings it seems to fill our souls, and many people in this small audience have already closed their eyes, sinking into the feeling. The small movements he makes – that he never dared to make while performing with us –, they tell many tales about him. With every minute that passes as the countertenor performs, we can read his body language as clear as an illuminated sign…

He had never been at ease with the Warblers, and, maybe, he never would have felt so, regardless of how much we treated him as an equal. However, for him, Dalton's equality translated into losing his individuality, into trying to blend with the others, into becoming another blazer-clad student. For Kurt, our school may have given him safety, while taking away his freedom.

We finally understand the differences as we watch him sing with all the emotions he has been bottling up for months… The countertenor was a prisoner within shiny corridors, but a prisoner none-the-less.

But now, he's back at McKinley, where there aren't rules to pull him down.

He is finally home.

TBC

A.N.: Before anyone asks, no, I'm not a fan of Rachel, but I ship Hummel-Berry as good friends. However, I will probably never forgive Rachel for BIOTA (I kinda understand her reasoning, though I do NOT understand her honor over there, and even less what she understands to be the concept of "friends"). Nevertheless, that doesn't mean she can't be nice in my fics. LOL

Next chapter is probably short, but most definitely an important one.

Thanks for the reviews, the alerts, favorites and all that jazz. It's so delightful to open the email inbox and find one or two reviews have been left. Many thanks to the readers who did.

By the way, I have a proposal. If I get twenty-five reviews for this chapter (considering it has around 50 subscribers, that shouldn't be too hard), chapter 8 will be up by the middle of June, at the most. If I get more than that, it will be up in a week! XD

Thank you everyone.

Syaoran-Lover signing out!