Hi folks and Happy Easter! ( Or happy non religious chocolate eating, bunny ear wearing day to you!) I have to be well rounded you see.

I am sooooooo excited that this fic has taken off despite my earlier misgivings that this would fade into the night, at the bottom of the fiction world, forgotten and ignored. You have made this Canuck very, very giddy indeed and it gives me the courage (no pun intended) to keep this up.

This chapter is dedicated to two of my followers:

RedvinesWhatheHellCan'tTheyDo : You have literally been totally awesome, and I couldn't have recently found myself a better person as a friend! I can't even begin to thank you for the sheer support you have shown me during the duration of this fic...and in the most recent tough times I have endured. So thank you love, you're the Harry to my Sally...cuz I am soo playing Meg Ryan. ;) Love ya xx

ROB IS MINEZ : You know how I feel about ya hun, you're my gaybar superstar. You have strength where others fail to show it. Your giddy enthusiasm over my writing has inspired me countless times, so as you well know...this is my "gift" to you. I hope I did it justice. the real surprise is next chapter though. ;) Klaine on my friend...and make sure to Warble on while you're at it. Love ya always xx

Even though it's Easter...Merry Christmas! As promised, some brothery stuffs. I was going to include more Christmas here but that's the next chapter since it is going to be long, so here ya go! Enjoy my unowned literary bumblings which hopefully don't have too many errors. Cheers!

Bittersweet Symphony

The Good, The Bad and the Unexpected

(BPOV)

"Blaine, it's fine and perfectly natural I assure you, although I'm sure not welcome, but...I would think it wise to wear it more often than you have been."

Honestly I knew he was right, the good things that had been happening to me as of late couldn't have been a coincidence, there had to be an equal negative force pushing me in the opposite direction...my hearing was getting worse again, slowly.

Let me bring you up to speed over the last few weeks.

Okay so I was millionaire. Yeah don't worry, it sounded freaking ridiculous to me too, and I think Kurt had to keep pinching me throughout the night when I first saw the bank statement. Kurt had been surprisingly calm after he got all his "well fuck me sideways'" out, and had tried to joke with me that it wasn't a big deal.

He said that it was my own decision what to do with it...I could invest it, give it charity, or hell buy an island or build a death star and he would support me. I guess this was Kurt's way of reassuring me that his feelings for me wouldn't change whether I was rich or poor. I rationalized that he loved me before the money and I was glad to know that no matter what I decided to do with it, he was behind me.

I had gone back to he bank by myself, an act that still baffled me, and sorted out the new finances immediately. The same teller I had seen the previous day was there wearing a knowing smirk and was very helpful introducing me to an appropriate staff member who would help me out. With the majority of the money invested for now in high interest savings accounts, I could put it into the back of mind and leave it there while I decided what was it's eventual fate. Kurt helped me theorize that jumping into a decision like that would be costly, so I let it lie knowing that I could very easily take care of myself for the rest of my days, and of course help my loved ones if they needed it without questioning.

The other good news was that after that night and subsequent day after, my headaches all but disappeared. I could hear about 60 percent in my right ear, there was no more ringing, and the pain in my head was completely gone. This allowed me to get my butt back to work, back to my proteges who I really did miss, and above all that...I started writing my music again; furiously actually.

I spent countless hours at my piano, loving the sounds that I could hear without much effort, and I drowned myself in it, reconnecting to my craft as the sheets of music poured out of me for the first time in years.

When Kurt was at work, or at his own place for a change since we decided that we would spend the evening apart on occasion (secretly we knew that we both loved being together but a little space is always helpful), all I did was compose. I brought out my violin for the first time too in what seemed like forever, and I found the sound that I was looking for.

My symphony was coming together, but I didn't share it with Kurt, I wouldn't until it was done, honestly opinions at this stage halted the creative process in my opinion. So I just wrote, my symphony, and finished some other works that I hadn't touched in years, it was in a word, "fantastical".

That was the good news. I was hearing much better than I had been before my attack, Kurt still loved me and supported me as we grew closer each day, financially I was sound if not excessively so, I was teaching again and composing...I felt more like myself than ever.

The bad news came because one morning, a two weeks before Christmas, I woke up again with fuzziness in my ear. I chalked it up to too much strain, which I was now finding out to be the truth, but that didn't lessen the gape in my heart again. I wanted to hear, write my music, compose and teach and it was so great being able to do that these days that I found myself here, welling up in tears as I sat in Dr. Rosenberg's office again for my recheck appointment.

He was telling me I had to wear my aid again. It somehow felt like a defeat in my world.

"I know that it's not what you want to hear Blaine, I mean I know this time has been difficult but exciting for you. The aid isn't a step backwards. Think of it like your eyesight. If you don't wear your glasses, your eyes can change, worsen even from the strain. Your system's been under a lot of stress with recent events and I just want you to give your hearing as much help as possible. It's not a defeat Blaine. It's merely a tool I want you to use."

"I know. It's just not what I wanted, it's selfish I realize, but I was just getting used to my new self, and it's changing...again."

I sighed and ran my hand through my hair before going into my pocket and pulling out the aid that I had been avoiding using as of late and putting it in, sighing at the sensation I didn't miss. Although the aid did allow me to hear almost clearly without straining. I hated it when doctor's were right.

Jon dropped his hands and stopped signing, knowing that I could hear much better with the aid so signing was unnecessary.

"I understand Blaine. Just try and focus on what your hearing was like a few months ago and compare that to now. A step forward is a step forward no matter how much backtracking you do in the process. You're still winning this fight Blaine, and I want you to follow my instructions so that we can keep beating this thing okay?"

Dr. Rosen...sorry Jon, was right, he really did prefer me calling him by his first name. I knew it and he did make logical sense, it was just the kid in me that wanted the quick fix now that I had a taste for the positive for once.

"Okay Jon...so when do I have to come back again?"

He looked through his calender and then back up at me.

"Well I'm outta here in about an hour and I'm on holidays until after the new year. So probably as long as there aren't any issues, I won't have to see you for another few months. We'll recheck your blood work again then, re-evaluate you hearing levels and go from there. You have the number of the referring physician I gave you in case of emergencies?"

I padded my pocket, "Yup."

"Okay Blaine, it was nice seeing you again, and I am really pleased that despite everything, there's some positivity that's come out of it. Merry Christmas Blaine, I'll see you next year."

I reached out and shook his hand. "Happy Hanukah Jon. Any plans for the holidays?" I released his hand and he walked me to the door.

"Actually yes. My brother and his husband are coming down for a few weeks to visit my wife, kids and I. They haven't been back since they moved to Boston after they got married. It'll be nice to reconnect. You?"

"That sounds like a great holiday Jon, and yeah actually. I have rehearsal with my students in the next hour or so. I have a few new pieces I wrote for the Christmas recital that I want in the program. Also Kurt's family is coming into town so we have a dinner planned. Usual stuff, eventful but I'm looking forward to it. It's my first Christmas with Kurt too so you know..."

I stopped at the door and turned to look at Jon. I was really glad I had a physician that I was this comfortable with, I didn't need to give him the 'oh by the way I'm gay speech, he just accepted that my partner's name was Kurt. Huh my partner, I liked the sound of that.

"Ah, well that's definitely a cause for celebration, and I didn't know you were a composer?"

"Yeah, well I wasn't for a long time but recently...I've been...inspired."

"Good for you Blaine. I would love to hear some of your work sometime."

I stood there a little shocked at my doctor's comments. I hadn't even thought of myself as a composer really or that someone would be actively interested in hearing any of it. I decided that I was more than proud of the music I had written and it was only polite to extend the offer.

"Well, the recital is in the main building, Manhattan School of Music, on the 22nd of December. If you're interested you can come to the open recital. Bring your brother and his husband as well as your family too if you want a night out full of classical music, it's a charity event and everyone's welcome."

M.S.M always opened up its doors on Christmas as of late, it was a way for the community to give back to the students and also spread the word about the talent from the next generation we had brooding in our walls.

"I'll make a note of it and run it past Issac and Jeremy. I don't the kids would want to sit through a cultured evening though. Well anyway it was good seeing you Blaine. Enjoy your holidays and remember one small step at a time, and use the aid...it is meant to help, not hinder."

I shook his hand again and smiled as I left, with a surprisingly better attitude than when I walked in.

XXXX

Today had been a long day. It was near ten in the evening and every single one of the kids that I had asked to stay actually did. The string instrument students were all on board for the performance at the recital to unveil two of my own compositions, the first of my music to be heard by anyone outside the classroom for sure. I had told the respective department heads that this was a side project that none of the students had to participate in if they didn't have the time, but almost everyone had agreed to these rehearsals and the subsequent performance as well. We had had a few rehearsals now and the recital was days away.

Most of the students were happy to be showcased at all, and there were some that I was close to as an instructor and somehow mentor in the last few years that just signed on to be involved for sheer point. My protege Candi had plans the night of the recital with her father, who had just returned from Korea recently, and she wouldn't be available that evening so she was more than delighted to get Zac to be my main pianist for the evening. I was secretly hoping Zac would stand up and ask for the attention towards his skills, and something in Candi's voice made me think she did this on purpose but I wasn't going to question it. Zac was my special pupil. He had come from a shit start from what he told me and now his confidence was renewed somewhat,and, as his teacher, I needed him to further grow out of his shell. I was glad he would be showcased as my pianist for my compositions, the emotions the pieces conveyed were right up his alley as an artist. He had always been an emotional performer and this was a way of boosting the kid's confidence,

Everything had gone well in all the rehearsals and it was only days away from the recital. Barb had been private tutoring Damian recently and I had to say the kid was getting on my nerves less and hers for that matter. He would be singing for the recital too and it was the first time that he seemed humbled by that fact. I guess Barb still hadn't lost her touch with cocky teens like I used to be.

Kurt and I hadn't seen much of each other in the last few days. He had been getting his apartment ready for his dad and Carol since they would be splitting their time here at Kurt's and then at Rachel and Finn's. Ironically Brittany had come over to help him tidy up, since Tana and I had become unconventional friends recently Britt, and her 'dolphin' which I still didn't understand, got the chance to reconnect.

The best part of it all was, my performance at the recital was a surprise for Kurt. He knew that I was writing like a madman but when him and his family came to the recital, it would be unveiled that I had written these pieces. Last night I almost let it slip at Julliard when we went to see his school's Christmas performances that I was really excited about the final rehearsal tonight.

Kurt thought I was out with Tana tonight, she of course covered for me, but the small fib would be worth the surprise. I hoped he would be proud of me.

XXXX

It was now really late, and everyone was filing out of the auditorium as I thanked them profusely for staying as late as they did. I had received numerous hugs and some screams when I had come back to work recently, most were astonished at the new development in my hearing, none more so than Barb honestly. Candice was over the moon she said, as she hugged the life out of me as soon as I walked through the door that Monday morning.

Now as the last of the students left, I saw that Zac was still sitting on the piano bench staring at the music I had asked him to help me perform.

"Hey Zac, don't you wanna go home kid? I mean thanks for staying so long, but dude it's late." Zac still hadn't looked up from the music, aside from the small nod he gave me he really didn't even acknowledge that I spoke.

"Hey what gives? Something wrong with the arrangement?"

Zac looked up then with something that looked like surprise in his eyes.

"God no Mr. A, it's just...you really wrote this? And the other one featuring Koh? Like...how did it come to you?"

I sat down beside him and gave him the most honest answer I could.

"Sometimes, in the most unlikely of places you find inspiration and salvation Zac. I'll let you in on a little secret, the piece I wrote for Koh, well that's basically my love letter to Kurt. He inspired it and god knows I never intended to find happiness like that again."

I had told Zac and Candi about my new relationship with Kurt and I had received much teasing from Candice on the matter and it honestly made me feel like I was in high school again. Zac on the other hand had been silently happy for me, never broaching the topic, until now that is.

"Now I can see it. That piece makes so much more sense now that I know you wrote it with Kurt in mind. I'm happy for you sir. And..the other one? The one I'm playing?'

I smiled but it faltered slightly at the memory.

"I wrote most of that long ago, it's about emotional suffering that I endured as a teen. It's not my most happy memory, but I used to play bits of it with my brother, somehow it made me feel better when he would play it with me. I just felt like now that it's finished, I get to share the beauty and pain that came with it. Share myself ya know?"

Somehow Zac smiled at this. "I know what you mean. Thanks for letting me share this with you Blaine."

It was the first time Zac had ever let his conformity slip and called me by my first name.

"And I'm happy for you, ya know with Kurt and your hearing getting better. You're a good guy and teacher and ya know...talented. Thanks for letting me share in your music."

Zac had gotten up and grabbed his bag.

"Thanks for wanting to help me share it Zac. You'll do me proud on Saturday for sure."

XXXX

He left the auditorium without another word as I took up the most comfortable place for me that I knew, resting my hands over the ivories in a comfortable pose as I started playing.

I hadn't really thought about what I was playing at first, but considering what we had just been rehearsing it wasn't surprising that I would play my concerto again. I played it over and over again, not really knowing how long I was there for until a voice much closer than I would have thought, scared me slightly at its proximity.

"Hi B."

I looked up but it couldn't be real. I hadn't seen him in what seemed like forever, and I hadn't heard from him in quite a while, he wasn't here, it was a memory brought up through this song...our song.

The apparition didn't leave but merely sat down beside me and picked up the higher register on the keys and played with me like he used to.

I got lost in the familiarity of it and soon I stopped not knowing what to make of the man who sat beside me. Looking like him, the warmth that I had always associated with him was there and I couldn't blink him out of existence so I spoke dropping my hands.

"Coop?"

"Yeah Blaine." He looked at me when I didn't meet his gaze. He didn't know I could hear him. He didn't know what had happened recently. Did he even know about mom, dad or granddad? What was he doing here? What did he want from me now? He obviously didn't want to talk or help me out when I tried to reach out to him...what was he doing here?

I was going to ask him all those questions, feeling the anger and betrayal burning in my gut, but before I could, his broken voice cut through my train of thought.

"I always loved when we played this together. I can't believe you finished it, it sounds amazing. Will you play it again with me, just for old times sake?"

Guilt ridden for some reason at the sad tone in my brother's face I took up the hand positioning at the beginning of the concerto, watching with softened eyes as he remembered his own starting position as well.

I started and he joined in when needed. For the next five minutes we played like we used to, Cooper read the music for the parts he didn't know by heart but the emotions we poured into the piece were just like when we were teenagers. I had written this the fall after I had come out to him at the tender age of 12, and since then when we needed a retreat from our parents' ignorance, we fell into sync at the piano; always over music.

After the last note was struck Cooper spoke not looking away from his hands.

"I missed you Blaine."

He sounded broken, more so than I ever heard him before in my life.

"Same here, you have no idea, how did you know I was here though?"

Cooper turned to me then and he seemed to instantly realize that I had answered him without looking at him and his eyes could have bugged out of his head.

"Blaine you can ? Oh my god bro! Just when, how, what the..." This is when people said we resembled each another, the bouncing excitement phase that Cooper and I shared when we were happy. Jeff always referred to it as the Ants in Pants Anderson Dance. The memory alone made me chuckle inwardly and focus on not being angry at him.

"Coop, its a long story. But seriously, why are you here? I've been trying to get a hold of you forever, there's so much to tell you."

Cooper lunged at me and hugged me like the world was falling apart at the seams, and I just settled into the embrace that I had missed more than anything in the last few months.

"B...it's been a rough year. Coffee and I will explain everything I promise, as long as you do the same."

I moved away and just stared at him.

"Deal, but coffee at my house. I need to get home anyway."

"Anything you want bro, anything."

Yay a little Copper-ness! More on what the frak happened to him in the next chapter which I am writing now. This was a little shorter than I anticipated but I had to stop here or this would have been a 14,000 word chapter or something.

Next up : Christmas stuffs, Blaine's music debut, more Hudmel-Berry familisms, and of course...Klaine Christmas gifts...they are celebrating their first Christmas together after all...any suggestions? Lol

***Piano piece (Anderbros Concerto) is actually:-Dreilide Thrace Sonata No 1 by Bear McCreary ( yeah his classical music is basically my soundtrack for this fic.) Trust me give it a listen, its very emotional, and not only will Zac nail it at the recital, I would love to watch the brothers play this together.

Love you...review and let me know if this sucked...gotta have some plot ya know ;)

Klainebows and Klisses...and chocolate eggs ( hey tis the season!)

Bye guys and maybe if the Easter bunny is nice you won't have to hunt for the next chapter which should be up tomorrow ;) *crosses fingers and eyes for good measure*

Ta!