Special note: In case you missed it, there was a chapter posted on Wednesday. You should read Chapter 30 first.


A career path is rarely a path at all. A more interesting life is usually a more crooked, winding path of missteps, luck and vigorous work. It is almost always a clumsy balance between the things you try to make happen and the things that happen to you.

- Tom Freston

March

Kurt, who's never participated in a fashion week in New York City, finds the Paris Fashion Week a crazy experience. He has a modeling job on the catwalk with Bellerose, a small but up-and-coming fashion house. It has boutiques all over France offering ready-to-wear clothing aimed at affluent businessmen under the age of 40. The suits are relatively conservative, but the patterned shirts are youthful and quirky. It's Bellerose's debut at the Paris Fashion Week, and there's a sense of excitement in the air.

The models' dressing room is chaotic, with assistants ironing shirts and making last minute adjustments to the suits worn by the male models. Kurt only has one suit to model, and he's set to be the third person to hit the catwalk. He is ready to go and is sitting in the corner, trying to keep out of everybody's way.

"Monsieur Hummel? Des fleurs pour vous (Flowers for you)."

Kurt makes his way to the entry, surprised that Antoine would actually send him flowers. He doesn't seem to be the kind of man who'd make romantic gestures. However, when he sees the bouquet of red and yellow roses, Kurt knows exactly who sent them. After giving the delivery man a couple of euros, he returns to the corner to read the card.

I'm sure you'll take Paris by storm. Courage. Blaine x

Kurt hasn't realized that Blaine follows his career that closely, or even knows that he's participating in the Paris Fashion Week. When Kurt thinks about it more carefully, of course Vogue's editor-in-chief would know what's going on in the Paris fashion world. And just like that first photo shoot for Vogue, Blaine's words do give him courage. Without giving it a second thought, Kurt takes a photo of the bouquet and tweets it with the caption A friend sent me these flowers and the message came at the right time. Thanks! #FriendsForever, #Courage

Kurt looks at the tweet he just sent out, and sighs. The flowers and the thoughtful message make him miss Blaine even more. He'd do anything to hear Blaine's voice right now. He reads the card again, and the word 'Courage' jumps out at him. He steels himself and nods, entering the number he still knows by heart, though it's no longer in his contacts on his new phone.

"Hey, Blaine."

"Kurt? Is it really you?"

"Yeah, it's me. I have to be quick because the runway show is about to start, but I wanted to thank you personally for the flowers. They're gorgeous. And I really appreciate the message on the card, too. You always seem to know when I need words of courage."

"I'm glad they arrived in time. And I meant what I said. You're going to kill it on that runway. Soon, all of Paris will know what a fantastic model you are."

"I'm not so sure about that. That song that Wes forwarded to me last week was incredible, Blaine. I have it on a constant loop on my phone. I hope you and Marley Rose plan to send it to some music companies."

"Marley Rose is cutting a demo of the song next week. Look, Kurt, I probably shouldn't say this, but I miss you… a lot."

"I miss you too, Blaine. I can't stand not talking to you, 'cause you're still my best friend."

"You're mine too. I've got a lot on my plate right now, but maybe I can visit you in Paris in a few months time… This summer?"

"Yeah, I'd like that. I'd like that a lot."

"On commence, on commence! Endroits, tout le monde! (It begins, it begins! Places everybody)" Christophe Bellerose, the owner of the fashion house, shouts.

Kurt isn't exactly sure what Bellerose said, but gathers that the show is about to begin.

"Sorry, I've got to go. I'll be in touch."

"Break a leg!"

Kurt quickly makes sure his suit is perfectly in place and slips into the lineup to go on stage. Once he steps onto the catwalk, Kurt is blinded by the lights. He concentrates on the music and makes it to the pre-marked positions at exactly the right time. Kurt is quite pleased with how it's going on the catwalk until he exits the stage to find a huge commotion.

Christophe Bellerose and the head seamstress are having a shouting match, and it's a good thing that the music on stage is drowning out the noise. They are speaking French so quickly that Kurt can't tell what they are saying, but it's obvious to him what is going on. A male model has accidently torn a large rip along the front of the suit jacket, probably on one of the many light fixtures surrounding them. The head seamstress is shaking her head, vehemently pointing to the other models getting ready, and Christophe Bellerose is getting more frustrated.

Kurt moves towards the pair and says, "S'il vous plaît, I can fix this."

Christophe gives Kurt a quizzical look.

"I know how to sew. I can fix this tear in no time, if you give me a sewing kit."

Christophe looks relieved and shouts a flurry of commands to the head seamstress. The next thing Kurt knows, he's sitting at a table and quickly sewing an invisible seam. It's not absolutely perfect, but someone would have to look very closely to see his handiwork. Christophe examines his work when he's finished, and then calls the model over, who quickly puts on the jacket and heads towards the catwalk.

"That was very impressive, Monsieur…"

"Hummel. I'm Kurt Hummel."

"Where did you learn to sew?"

"My mother taught me when I was young, and then I started to make my own clothes. Or I would take clothes from the usual places and repurpose or fix them so that they were more my style."

"I can see you're a natural. Have you ever considered designing clothes yourself?"

"Yes, I design all sorts of outfits during my free time."

Christophe Bellerose hands Kurt a business card and pats his back.

"Come to my office next Monday morning. I think we need to have a little talk."

Kurt quickly nods and Christophe rushes on stage to close the show.


When Kurt rounds the corner a few streets away from the Avenue George V, he sees the sign for the Bellerose Boutique. He enters the shop and notices that it's very busy, with customers wanting the new suits from the spring line. Obviously, the show at the Paris Fashion Week has paid off. When Kurt tells the salesman his name, he's immediately whisked into an elevator and told to get out on the third floor. When Kurt exits the elevator, he announces himself to the receptionist, and she leads him to Christophe Bellerose's office.

"Bonjour, Monsieur Hummel," Christophe greets him. "Please come in and have a seat. I trust you brought your portfolio?"

Kurt hands over his leather portfolio, full of sketches he's designed from high school to Paris. "I have a blog where you can see the outfits I've made for myself. I used to take selfies and post them."

Christophe carefully examines the portfolio, sometimes frowning and sometimes grinning. He then takes Kurt's tablet and swipes through the photos.

"How old are you?"

"I'll be twenty in May, Monsieur."

"It's obvious that you have no formal training. However, in spite of that, you have a good eye and a natural talent. Your designs are creative, and with a little guidance, they could really be something."

"Merci. That means a lot coming from you."

"Have you ever considered working in fashion behind the scenes? Not as a model?"

"Funny you should ask this question. A year ago, I actually interviewed for a fashion internship at Vogue. However, they had different plans for me, and the next thing I knew, I was at a photo shoot as a model with a six-month contract."

"Perhaps today will flip things back to a year ago. I'm offering you the position of my personal assistant. There will be phones to answer, meetings to arrange, trips to organize, and the like. However, I promise you that the job will be more than this. Under my wings, you'll learn about la mode française - about design trends, techniques, materials, and production. You will see first-hand how a collection is pulled together."

"This sounds like a unique opportunity. But, can I think about it for a couple of days? It's a big career change, and…"

"And of course you'll be the lead model for the next collection, including the ad campaign, if that's what you want. For this modeling work, you would earn your usual fees."

Kurt leaves the boutique and enters a nearby café. After ordering his usual café au lait and un pain au chocolat, he thinks about Christophe Bellerose's job offer. It sounds too good to be true. He'll be working directly for an up-and-coming fashion designer, seeing a collection created from the initial ideas to the clothes on a rack in a boutique. It would be a great chance to see if he is really interested in fashion design. He earns much more money from modeling, but there's the extra cash for featuring in the Bellerose ad campaign. He'll make enough money to live comfortably in Paris and save a little for future plans.

As much as he enjoys modeling, Kurt doesn't like the lifestyle that comes with it. His life is too public, and he's treated by the media as a commodity. The strict French privacy laws have given him a low profile in Paris, but it will be an entirely different matter when he moves back to New York City. Modeling doesn't really fit into his long-term goals – of marrying a man that he loves, whom he can spend his life and raise a family with.

As Kurt always reminds himself, he's young, and this is the time to take risks and experience new things. He returns to the Bellerose Boutique and heads to the third floor. Upon entering Christophe Bellerose's office, Kurt smiles and shakes the designer's hand.

"I accept your job offer. When can I start?"


"Mon petit, why must you move out? You're my perfect little one, and I want you to stay," Emmeline pouts when she sees Kurt in the hallway with his suitcases.

"As much as I've enjoyed staying here and spending time with you, I want to live closer to my new job. Of course, we'll still see each other."

"We cannot leave it to – comment est-ce qu'on dit en anglais (how do you say in English)? – happenstance. Otherwise, you will never come visit me. Why not come over every Friday night for dinner? We can talk about your week at work and your plans pour le week-end."

"I'd like that, Emmeline. It's a great idea."

"You should know by now that I'm full of bonnes idées. You must promise me that you'll come every Friday."

"Of course I will."

Kurt likes the idea of having Friday night dinners with Emmeline. He's used to this sort of tradition with his dad. Although he enjoys Emmeline's company and listening to her reminisce about the past, and impart her views on life and love, Kurt feels he needs to live on his own.

A taxi ride later, Kurt is in front of the Petite Patisserie, close to the Galeries Lafayette et Printemps, the heart of Paris' fashion industry. He looks at the tempting offers on display in the bakery's window and is glad that he doesn't need to be as strict about his diet now that he's not a full-time model. He climbs the stairs to the furnished studio apartment above the patisserie. It's basic but clean and more than satisfactory for his needs.

Kurt picked this location because it is also close to ESMOD-ISEM Paris, a school that offers courses in fashion design and the fashion business. Kurt has signed up to take two evening courses, starting next week. Between the job at Bellerose Boutique during the day and the classes at night, Kurt will know if he wishes to pursue fashion design.

After unpacking his suitcases, Kurt pulls out his tablet and is relieved that the Wi-Fi is working and is strong. He takes photos of the studio and sends them to his dad, and then goes on Twitter. There's nothing but the usual news, so he clicks into Blaine's account.

There are photos of Blaine with his family and a crew painting the outside of an old rambling house. Blaine looks adorable with a dab of paint on his left cheek. He's wearing jeans and a tight-fitting worn Henley shirt, and his curls are sneaking out of the beanie on top of his head. Kurt chuckles when he notices that Blaine isn't wearing socks with his converse sneakers, even in March. Some things never change.

Some photos show Blaine in deep concentration while painting. Others show him goofing around with the others. In every photo, Blaine looks really happy. Kurt can't see photos of Connor, Blaine's new boyfriend. Kurt wonders if he just couldn't make it on the day or whether they're now broken up. Regardless, Kurt knows he has blown his chance for something really special with Blaine.

After reading about the upcoming opening of Monarch House, Kurt is really impressed with what Blaine is achieving. Kurt rubs his chin, wondering what he should do. The phone conversation they had before Kurt went onto the catwalk during the Paris Fashion went so well, and he wants to keep the lines of communication open.

Kurt surfs to the Monarch Foundation's website and makes a donation. No matter how good he feels about that decision, it doesn't feel personal enough to connect with Blaine. He gets a brilliant idea of what to do and quickly writes an e-mail.

Dear Blaine,

I've seen the photos of you preparing for the upcoming opening of Monarch House on the Internet. One of the many things I really admire about you is that you stay true to your core beliefs. Monarch House is just a reminder of that. I really wish there was somewhere like that I could have turned to when I was a teenager. I'm sure you're very busy with last minute preparations, but I'm sending you a link to a video made when I was in high school. It will make for a good laugh when you need one.

All my best,

Kurt x


"If there's nothing else, I'm heading to Sam's old bedroom to get some sleep. I know it's only eight o'clock, but we have an early flight to catch tomorrow."

"Good night, Amy. Wake me up if you don't see me surface by six."

Blaine walks around the penthouse and turns off the lights. Tomorrow morning, he and Amy are heading to Westerville, a few days before the Monarch House opening. Amy agreed to join him to help with a last-minute cleaning of the Monarch House and to make sure the Anderson household runs smoothly. It's going to be a busy trip, but it will all be worth it once the opening is over and the house is up and running.

After his nightly routine in the bathroom, Blaine changes into his pajamas and crawls into bed. He's already made sure that his tablet and Beat headphones are fully charged. He had been pleasantly surprised earlier that day when he received Kurt's e-mail. He had already received confirmation of Kurt's $10,000 donation to the Monarch Foundation, but the e-mail felt much more personal. He brings up the email on his tablet and reads it for the hundredth time. Kurt has this way of making him feel special, and he wonders what other things Kurt might admire about him. After putting on the headphones, he clicks on the link. The video starts with a marching band in what looks like a high school gymnasium. He gets a glimpse of a few cheerleaders prancing onto the court. When he hears someone sing, 'Come on, Kurt Hummel', Blaine's mouth drops open as Kurt struts in view and starts singing '4 Minutes'.

Oh. My. God. Kurt was a cheerleader back in high school! This is my teenage fantasy come true!

Blaine is mesmerized by Kurt's showmanship… His voice, his confidence, his moves. The performance only confirms that Kurt Hummel is the sexiest man alive. Once he has watched the video half a dozen times, he notices that it was posted on Rachel Berry's channel. He clicks on her name and sees hundreds of videos listed. Blaine scrolls down the list until he finds the New Directions videos posted a few years ago.

Blaine can feel his body heat up as Kurt performs 'Single Ladies' and wishes the video was longer than 50 seconds. Blaine knows that Kurt's dream is to be on stage, but nothing prepared him for the 'Rosie's Turn' performance. Kurt's stage presence, the strength of his voice, and the feeling that Kurt did have a difficult time in high school. Blaine certainly hopes that everything's coming up Kurt now.

It's still early, so Blaine makes his way through the New Directions videos. He usually spies Kurt in the background, singing back-ups to Rachel's solos. He laughs at a young Kurt dressed up for the Rocky Horror Show and Lady Gaga performances. Blaine then discovers a most remarkable video of the New Directions, and it gives him an idea. One that will let Kurt know that he's watched the performances, and that will hopefully lead to further communication.


"Good luck today, Blaine. I'm sure the opening of the Monarch House will go smoothly."

"Thanks, Connor. I certainly hope so. I'm really sorry that I didn't invite you to join me, but it's sort of a family thing."

"I get it, Blaine. You're not ready to introduce me to your parents. I'm okay with that, I guess."

Blaine can hear a trace of the bitterness in Connor's voice through the telephone line, and feels guilty. Although they have been going out on dates for the past couple of months, Blaine is unwilling to label their relationship or even move it forward. He likes Connor a lot and enjoys his company, but he isn't the special somebody he wants in his life. Blaine doesn't want Connor to be the first man he brings home to meet his family. There's only one man Blaine wants to bring home.

"It's not that. My father and I haven't always had a good relationship because I'm gay. He's slowly coming around, and he's been so supportive of the Monarch House. I don't want to mess things up with him, and certainly not this weekend."

Blaine can hear Cooper shouting from the bottom of the stairs. "Are you ready, squirt? We're expected at Monarch House in ten minutes."

"I gotta go, Connor. I'll call you when I return to New York City."

Blaine walks down the stairs and checks his appearance in the entryway mirror. He needs to look smart and professional for the opening day of Monarch House.

"We're in luck because it's going to be 64F today and sunny. Are you ready for this?" Pamela asks, as she puts on her lightweight jacket.

"I'm more than ready for the opening. I can't believe we got the Monarch House ready in just three months. You, dad and Meagan are miracle workers."

"My contribution was finding Meagan to be its director. The rest is down to her and your dad, who made sure the renovations went to schedule."

Michael smiles at Blaine as he heads out the door. "Let's get going. It wouldn't be right if we're late."

Five minutes later, Michael parks the car two blocks from Monarch House. There are so many people attending the opening that they couldn't find anywhere closer to park.

"Wow, look at the crowd," Blaine comments when he sees hundreds of well-wishers, media and local dignitaries.

Cooper examines himself in the car's side mirror and puffs a blast of minty mouth freshener. "I did tweet that I'd be coming today. I bet there's a The Young and the Restless fan base in Westerville. I've got plenty of pens to sign autographs."

Michael and Blaine look at each other and start laughing when they realize they are both rolling their eyes. After Blaine has done up his suit jacket, Michael straightens out his tie for him.

"Look what you've achieved to help other people. I'm so proud of you, son."

Blaine gulps slowly and wills away the tears forming in his eyes.

"I want you to be, Dad."

The first hour of the opening goes to plan. Blaine cuts the ribbon at the entrance of the house, then makes an impassioned speech about the goals of Monarch House and what it will mean to the community. The Westerville mayor then gives a longwinded speech about how the City Council is 100% behind the project.

The local and national media are there to report the event. Blaine and his family split to give one-on-one interviews that will be broadcasted later in the day. Once they've had their photos taken and the interviews are over, the crowd thins out to those very people that the Monarch House will serve.

"I think we're ready for the real open house celebration," Meagan whispers to Blaine.

Blaine steps up onto the front porch and starts ringing a bell to grab everyone's attention.

"Don't leave yet. The real opening for you guys hasn't started yet. If you head to the backyard, we have food and some activities. On the table next to the food, you'll find white T-shirts and black sharpies. Write something about yourself and wear the shirt so we can get to know each other better. I'm just going inside for five minutes to change. I don't want to wear this suit the whole afternoon."

Pop music starts playing in the backyard to signal people to come. Blaine is relieved to see that no-one is leaving and they're moving towards the backyard. He quickly enters the house and changes from his suit into more casual clothes. He squeezes himself into a pair of tightly-fitting blue jeans. Underneath his red jacket, he's wearing a white T-shirt that says 'Likes Boys' in big black lettering. Blaine hopes that the kids realize he's someone like them. If Kurt sees a photo of him in the T-shirt, it's definitely a bonus.

When Blaine exits the house, he can see a few hundred people in white T-shirts. They're eating and talking to each other. Meagan, whose shirt reads 'bi-curious', is distributing flyers about the events that will be taking place at the Monarch House over the next two months. Most importantly, everyone looks happy. His mother is wearing a shirt with 'friendly' marked on the front and she's talking with a teenage girl whose shirt says 'shy'. Cooper's shirt says 'gorgeous' and is surrounded by middle-aged women hanging on his every word.

Blaine sees a teenage boy whose shirt says 'alone' hanging out by himself in a secluded part of the backyard. Blaine goes to the food table and fills two plates before joining the teenager.

"I'm Blaine. How ya doing? Want some food?"

"Yeah, I'm hungry but I didn't want to bother anybody. I'm Travis."

After Blaine has handed over the plate, he asks, "Do you go to Westerville South High?"

"Uh-huh. I'm a sophomore. It totally sucks."

"I figured that out from your T-shirt."

"Nothing's going to change. Gay bashers are always gonna hate. The teachers and principal won't do anything about it. School's a hell hole and I can't wait to get out. You wouldn't understand. I heard someone say that you went to that posh school – Dalton Academy."

"I understand more than you think, Travis. When I was a freshman at Westerville South High, I got bullied for being gay too. It was mainly name-calling, threats, tripping me, and stuff like that. But then I went with the only other out guy to the Sadie Hawkins dance, and we got beaten up so badly that we were in the hospital for a few weeks. It was only then that my parents paid attention and decided to transfer me to Dalton."

"At least your parents cared enough to do that. Mine don't get it. They're not exactly homophobic, but they don't understand the pressure I'm under."

"Mine didn't understand either. It took something huge like getting beaten up for them to realize how bad it was. But that doesn't have to happen to you. Monarch House is just around the corner from Westerville South High, so you can come here after school and hang out. There are things here for parents as well, so they can better understand what it's like and how to help you."

"I'm not sure if my parents would do that."

"Hey, why don't I have my dad talk to your parents so they can understand things better? In the meantime, there's somebody at the ping-pong table looking for a game. His shirt says 'cool guy', so he can't be too bad. So, what do you say?"

When Travis nods, Blaine leads him to the ping-pong table and introduces the boys to each other. Blaine then heads over to his dad, whose shirt says 'closed-minded'. After Blaine relates his conversation with Travis, Michael agrees to find his parents and have a quiet word with them.

Blaine is surprised to see Burt talking to a group of parents. Blaine hadn't expected him to attend the opening of Monarch House. Even Burt is wearing a white T-shirt, which simply says 'supportive'. Burt glances up and notices Blaine watching him. He quickly says his goodbyes to the group and walks over towards Blaine.

"Buddy, great to see you," Burt greets as he squeezes Blaine's shoulder. "The Monarch House is amazing. Meagan gave me a personal tour inside. You and your family have worked really hard to make this happen in a matter of a few months."

"I'm so glad you came today. I wasn't expecting you."

"No way was I going to miss the opening day. What you're doing here really matters to me. You are making a real difference to the LGBT community in this town."

"I know what you mean - that's why the Monarch House is important to me as well. Thanks for helping out with the City Council and the planning permission. Otherwise, it would have taken months before we could start the renovations."

"Glad I could help, Blaine. I'm really hoping your next Monarch House will be in Lima. I wish there had been something like this for Kurt when he was growing up. I know the City Council members in Lima. The glee club's director at McKinley High will help us as well."

"Do you mean Rachel?"

"Oh, I forgot you know her as well. Yeah, Rachel and her two dads will definitely help out. By the way, I can tell by the T-shirts that you know about that New Directions' performance. Kurt is gonna love your T-shirt especially," Burt smirks.

"I hope so,' Blaine replies as he his cheeks redden. "I saw Kurt in the Dior perfume ad. It's funny, the ad is running in Vogue's next issue in the US as well."

"Yeah, Kurt sent me the ad. I gotta say, I was relieved. I almost had my second heart attack when he featured on Elle's cover on a stripper pole. There was something that bothered me about the Dior ad though – it was that faraway look. It was almost like he was missing home. Or someone."

"I wouldn't worry about it, Burt. It's amazing what photographers can do to get the look they want. I heard about Kurt's new job at the Bellerose Boutique. Is he enjoying it?"

"I spoke to him last Sunday, and his first couple of weeks were very busy learning new things. He seems to like his new boss and the behind-the-scenes fashion stuff. Two weeks ago, Kurt moved into a studio apartment near the fashion center of Paris. He's taking a couple of night classes at some fancy design school I can't pronounce the name of. Kurt is busy, but he's happy."

"Any news about when he's going to return to the US or visit?"

"Kurt promised me he'd come home for Christmas. I don't think he'll be home beforehand. Are you two knuckleheads talking again yet? It sure doesn't sound like it…"

"We have started to talk again. I sent him some flowers for his debut during the Paris Fashion Week and he phoned to thank me. He also sent me an e-mail with a link to his high school glee club performances. He even agreed that I could come to Paris this summer to visit him. I'm still trying to figure out the best way to talk about what happened between us."

"How about the old-fashioned way? Just pick up the phone or Skype him. Kurt isn't going to bite you or anything. I think – no, I know – that he misses your friendship a lot."

Before Blaine can reply, the 'cool guy' cranks the music up, and judging by the dancing, it's everybody's favorite song.

It doesn't matter if you love him or capital H-I-M
Just put your paws up
'Cause you were born this way, baby

"If only Kurt was here right now. This was like his personal anthem in high school," Burt remarks.

"Kurt does have a thing for Lady Gaga. If you'll excuse me, Burt, I'm going to join them."

Blaine goes over to where the teenagers are dancing. His hips start to sway to the music. He points at Cooper and crooks his index finger to call him over to dance with him.

No matter gay, straight or bi
Lesbian, transgendered life
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born to survive

Michael and Pamela join their sons and start to dance as well. Blaine is amazed at how close his family has become as a result of the Monarch House. However, one thing is very wrong and he wants to correct it.

Blaine dashes to the table and collects a black sharpie. He walks over to his dad, who stops dancing to face him. With a swipe of the marker Blaine crosses out 'closed' on his father's T-shirt and then writes 'open'. When Michael looks down at his shirt that now reads 'open-minded', tears start to pool in his eyes. They embrace each other tightly for a minute, basking in each other's respect and acceptance. However, when the song's refrain starts, Blaine's hips can't stop swaying.

Don't hide yourself in regret,
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way


On the first day back at work after the weekend's opening of the Monarch House, Blaine calls a staff meeting to finalize the 'pushing boundaries' issue of Vogue.

"I saw the photos for the article on the drag queens secret guide on make-up. How is the article coming along?" Blaine asks.

"Unique helped me with the interview and the draft article will be ready by the end of the day," Stephanie reports.

"Make sure that Unique gets a byline for the article. Jackie, what about the article on the ten most ground-breaking movies for their time?"

"It's drafted and in the system for your approval. Thanks, Blaine, for making the introduction to AO Scott at the New York Times. He was happy to help."

"Good. Isabelle, were you able to interview Diane Keaton about the making of Annie Hall?"

"Yes, she's a fascinating lady. One of my staff researched how her outfit in Annie Hall impacted the fashion industry. The article should be ready for you to review on Wednesday."

"Liane, how is the art of a girl asking a girl out going?"

"It's been a tough article to write, Blaine. There are so many ways to go about it. I decided to keep the article lighthearted. I think it would be fun having the art of a man asking a man out included in the article as well."

"Great idea, Liane. Maybe I could pick up a tip or two myself," Blaine replies jokingly. "I've already approved the photo of Laverne Cox for the cover. We just need to finalize the specific photos to go in the main spread."

"I'm working on those. I have a meeting set up for tomorrow morning to go through them with you." Paula replies.

"How about the 'ten ground-breaking fashion blogs' article, Chloe?

"Can we rename it to 100 ground-breaking fashion blogs? It is too hard to narrow it down to ten."

"No can do – there's not enough space in the issue. Why don't you go through the list with a couple of other people, say Gabriel and Emily? I'm sure the three of you can whittle down the list to ten. Any other issues or concerns?"

When no-one says anything, Blaine concludes the meeting. "Then, I think we have all the bases covered. We'll meet again at the end of the week to finalize the issue."

Blaine pulls Isabelle aside, waiting for the remaining staff to leave. "Isabelle, I'm putting the final touches on my editorial about how men can wear women's jewelry. Would you mind reviewing it for me? It's actually proving more difficult to write than I thought."

"Sure, I can do that. You do know who would be perfect to advise you on the article?"

"I do, but I can't ask. Kurt is busy with his new job in Paris. The funny thing is that Kurt is the one that inspired me to write the editorial in the first place."

"Because of the brooches?" Isabelle asks.

"Because of the brooches," Blaine nods.

"Give Kurt a call. Your editorial is the perfect excuse. I'm sure Kurt would love to help you out. And if you two talk about other things, like getting back together… Well, that's an added bonus."

Blaine blushes at Isabelle's comment. It's a reminder that he has both friends and family rooting for him to get together with Kurt. "You're right. I've got something planned tonight, but I'll give him a call over the weekend."


When Blaine gets to the steps of the New York City library's main branch in Bryant Park, he eyes the banner with a sketch of the now famous founding father with the words, 'Alexander Hamilton: Striver, Statesman, Scoundrel. Open June thru December'. Although it's only late March, special preview events are being held for VIPs and the library's generous benefactors. Lin-Manuel Miranda personally sent him a coveted invitation for tonight's event. The cast of Hamilton will be present on their day off from the Broadway musical. The invitation allows for a 'plus one', but Blaine couldn't bear to bring Connor – not when Hamilton means so much to him and Kurt.

After checking in his winter coat and messenger bag, he enters the library's Wachenheim Gallery, and he accepts a flute of champagne by one of the many servers working around the room. He doesn't recognize anyone immediately, so he concentrates on the exhibition itself, which presents a selection of the library's holdings, focusing on Hamilton's ambitious early life, work as a statesman and creation of the Federalist Papers, as well as the scandals that marred his legacy. No matter how much Blaine tries to concentrate on what is a really interesting exhibition, he looks at the photos and sketches of Alexander Hamilton without really seeing them.

It's always Kurt that he sees.

Kurt brainstorming ideas with him for Vogue's Hamilton-inspired spread. Kurt watching Hamilton on Broadway with him. Kurt posing in his outfit at the Hamilton-inspired photo shoot, looking so confident and sexy. The two of them attending the Tony Awards, where Hamilton won eleven awards. And of course, the Tony after-party.

When the dramatic opening flourish of violins, drums and piano starts, followed by the snapping of fingers, Blaine's attention turns to the seven performers standing on the temporary stage.

How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a
Scotsman, dropped in the middle of a forgotten
Spot in the Caribbean by Providence, impoverished, in squalor
Grow up to be a hero and a scholar?

Although Blaine loves this song and the live performance, it's too much. It makes him feel too much. It evokes too many powerful emotions pent up inside and the bittersweet memories of Kurt. He sets down the now empty champagne flute on a server's tray and heads out of the museum. He wishes so much that he could have attended the exhibition with Kurt at his side, because what makes an experience like this worthwhile is sharing it with someone you love.

This impossible situation needs to change. Sure, they've started talking again, and Kurt has agreed to Blaine visiting him this summer. But that seems so far away, and he wants Kurt now. He has to find a way back to Kurt sooner rather than later.

But how?


Author's notes

Songs used in the chapter:
'Born This Way' by Lady Gaga (but you Klainers already knew this).
'Alexander Hamilton' from the Hamilton Broadway production (of course, you knew this too).

Cassie (cc-graphics on Tumblr) created the most amazing animated artwork of the telephone conversation. There's a link to it on the Butterfly Wings Master Post, easily accessible on my Tumblr homepage (HKVoyage dot tumblr dot com). There's also a link to the story artwork that Cassie created.

Thank you to Lilyvandersteen, the most fabulous beta ever, although all mistakes are mine. She was simply wonderful reviewing the last-minute changes at short notice.

Months ago, 'I hate mosquitos' sent me a message informing me about the New York City Library's Alexander Hamilton exhibition which she saw (and opened days before I started posting this story). I couldn't resist including it in the story. Thanks for the idea!

Special thanks to fbeauchamphartz who gave me musical advice and wording contained in this chapter. If you haven't read any of her stories on this site, you're in for a real treat. Plenty of her stories are listed in my 'favorite stories' tab on my author's page.

I'm returning to Thailand next week and land on Wednesday morning after a 34-hour journey door to door. I fully intend to post the next chapter on Wednesday, but the timing could be off if there are flight delays.

Next up: A Skype call and Kurt's new job at Bellerose Boutique.