The second Blaine has turned Bessie around the corner, Kurt moves away from the window with a sigh, and grabs his phone. Their breakfast together had been filled with a polite awkwardness, the kind that only comes when both halves of a couple are fearful of upsetting each other.

Kurt had wanted Blaine to talk some more, but he was unwilling. Blaine wanted to apologize to Kurt for being withdrawn and quiet, but he also wanted Kurt to intrinsically know that he was upset and to make it better somehow, which of course, he couldn't.

So Blaine had gone off to the garage, and Kurt sighs again as he realizes that of course, Burt will know exactly what to say, the right words to use, and the right way to make Blaine listen.

Kurt thinks it over for a long time, nursing a cup of coffee until it turns cold, but eventually he decides to go for it, and unlocks his phone. He had taken Angie's number from Blaine's phone while he showered, a spur of the moment decision, but one he was pretty sure he wouldn't regret.

He dials quickly, not giving himself any more time to think about it, and Angie answers after just two rings.

"Hello?"

"It's Kurt."

"Oh. I see." Again her voice turns cold, and Kurt remembers how much he had hated talking on the phone to Blaine at one time, how awkward and uncomfortable it was when he wanted to say so much, but didn't know how. "Is Blaine okay?"

"Yes, he's fine I just... I'm calling to ask you to come here for Thanksgiving."

There is a long silence, in fact, neither one can quite believe those words have just been uttered, and then Angie clears her throat. "Excuse me?"

"I want you to drive to JFK and find a flight to Columbus to come spend Thanksgiving with us."

"I have a family," Angie says briskly. "A husband, children. They'll be..."

"Doing fine without you," Kurt interrupts, and when he gets no instant rebuttal, he carries on. "You ran away, didn't you? For whatever reason, your trip wasn't planned. You just got in your car and drove away, not even knowing where you were going until you arrived in New York."

"I...it wasn't..." Angie stammers, but Kurt keeps going.

"For reasons you can't fathom, you snapped and decided to go, and the one person you decided to try and seek comfort from, was your son."

"It's..." She takes a deep, trembling breath and Kurt realizes she's crying. "I just wanted to see him," she whispers sadly. "It's uh... no. You know what? It's okay. Thank you for the invite, but Blaine has his family and I have mine."

"It wasn't an invite," Kurt tells her. "Now, as dad would say, I've been looking on the Google, and there's a flight at three that still has seats. I'll be at the airport to meet you."

He hangs up quickly, and has no idea whether she will board that plane or not, or even if he's done the right thing, but he takes a deep breath, rolls his shoulders, and heads to the shower.

"I'll be there." is the text he sees when he is dressed, and with that in mind, he grabs the keys to Burt's sedan, and heads over to the shop with a wide grin on his face.

The sight of Blaine in his coveralls, bent over a car, with his dad by his side, is a very confusing one for Kurt, and he shakes his head as he leans against the wall. "Cute father son moment ruined by Blaine's hotness."

Burt laughs and straightens up, but Blaine merely walks off in the opposite direction, closing the door to the staff area behind him.

"He's mad at me," Kurt says sadly.

"No he's not. He just needs a moment. Or lots of moments, maybe."

"Um... Angie is coming here for Thanksgiving."

Burt stares, and then stares some more. "Excuse me, what?"

"She uh...she's coming here. I uh...I invited her."

"Are you out of your damn mind?" Burt cries. "What in the world made you think that was a good idea? Is she staying?"

"I don't know the answer to either of those things," Kurt admits. "I just uh...she left home."

Burt steers Kurt into his office, forcing him into a chair before closing the door behind them. "She's left him? For good?"

"No..well, I don't know. I just know that for whatever reason, she got in her car early this morning and started to drive, without even knowing where she was going. She took herself to New York, dad. In her sadness and desperation, all she wanted was Blaine. I know how that feels."

"And she told you all this?" Burt asks skeptically. "She admitted all of this to her son's boyfriend? The boyfriend she doesn't want him to have?"

"No, that's just me...putting things together, I guess."

"I don't know what to say."

"Are you mad?"

"Very," Burt says sharply. "I can see you're trying to do the right thing but...well, Blaine is mine."

"Oh dad. No one's gonna take him away from you."

"They might," he mumbles. "But that's not the point. The point is, I have a responsibility for that boy's well being and emotional state, and you've just blown all his happiness right up in his face. You do realize he's gonna go postal, right? I mean, you might actually hear him yell for the first time ever. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he doesn't speak to you for a long time because of this."

"Look, I just want to know if this is okay or not?"

"It's gonna have to be, isn't it?" Burt snaps, then he shakes his head and leans back in his chair. "Kurt, I'm never gonna turn anyone away, but I'm worried about the effect all this will have on Blaine. She can come, and she can stay, but only if Blaine agrees. If he doesn't want to see her, then he doesn't have to."

"So I guess I need to talk to Blaine."

"Yeah," Burt sighs, standing and clapping him on the shoulder as he walks past. "I guess you do."

Kurt finds him in the staff area, sitting at the table and staring aimlessly out the small window, which overlooks the trash cans out back. Pulling up a chair next to him, Kurt reaches out and gently plays with his hair, a small smile forming on his face when Blaine closes his eyes and sighs.

"Nice?"

"Mmm."

"Blaine? Are you mad at me?"

He thinks a moment, before opening his eyes and taking Kurt's hand. "No, not mad. Just... I don't know. This whole thing with my mom is a mess of emotions, and I don't think I'm ready to deal with it. When we went to Baltimore it was hard enough, but since then she's blown so hot and cold and I just...she's not happy with him, I don't think. I think she regrets marrying Spencer, which is hardly surprising, but she can't just use me as an escape. She has to stand up and take responsibility for all this, you know? I get that you're trying to make things better, but really, she's hurt me so much that I don't think things can ever be right, and to be honest, I don't know if I even want them to be."

"But why though? I mean, I know you love her."

"I do," Blaine concedes. "But I don't think that's enough to make it all okay. She dragged me away from the life I knew, and willingly put me at risk of mental and physical harm, just because she wanted to be with that jerk. I'm sorry if she's unhappy, if it hasn't worked out, but how can you do that to a kid, Kurt? How? How can you agree for them to move away from home at seventeen? To spend Christmas and Thanksgiving with another family, so you can have a peaceful time? It doesn't make any sense! She gave birth to me," Blaine cries. "She raised me, she knew me better than anyone else, and then she threw all that away, and I just...I just don't think that can ever be made right."

"Well maybe you can work on it? I think you should."

"Why?"

"Lots of reasons, but the main one being, that one day, hopefully, we will be those parents. And one day, we might have a son or daughter asking you about your family, and I want you to be able to say it's all okay, and not that you have a mom but you haven't spoken in ten years. I don't want you to get a phone call saying that she's sick or dying, or worse, that she's gone, and you didn't make your peace."

"I hate you, and your stupid life lessons," Blaine grouches, and he moves Kurt's hand back to his hair for comfort.

"So I'm right," Kurt smiles. "Which is good, because I uh...I called your mom after you left this morning."

"Kurt! Why?" Blaine moans. "If I'm gonna sort things out, just let me do it in my own time, don't interfere."

"Well...it's a bit late for that," Kurt tells him, as he bites his lip nervously. "Because she's coming to spend Thanksgiving with us. I'm meeting her at the airport this afternoon."

"What?" Blaine's voice is dangerously low, and his eyes flash with a spark of anger that makes Kurt suddenly realize that his dad's prediction was spot on.

"She uh...I called her back and asked her to come. She's upset and lonely and afraid and I just... I just want to make this right for you, Blaine. I want to make your life perfect."

"My life was perfect," Blaine says through gritted teeth. "I was home, for five days of family time with my dad and my boyfriend. I was happy and content, Kurt. Did you not notice that?"

"There's more to life than just us though, Blaine."

"Not to me there isn't!" he suddenly roars. He stands quickly, knocking his chair over in the process. "She is not coming here, Kurt! You called her once, now call her again and tell her you made a mistake. This is my bubble, my perfect family that I found for myself and she's not welcome in any of it. You want me to work on things with her? Fine. I'll call her sometime and arrange to meet her for dinner, but she is not coming here and intruding on my home, my sanctuary, and the one place I truly belong. She's not! She can't! I don't know what the hell you were thinking, but unthink it! Right now!"

"I'm not gonna do that, Blaine," Kurt says calmly. "She needs you right now."

"She doesn't need shit!" Blaine yells, grabbing his car keys and phone. "She needs nothing and no one but herself. Oh, she's sad? She's hurting? She's had a fight and wants to get out? Her problems, Kurt, not mine and certainly not yours!"

The door to the staff area is pulled open so sharply that it almost comes off its hinges, and all the mechanics try to pretend they're busy working and not really listening in, astounded that Blaine can yell.

Burt drops his wrench, and runs out after Blaine as he storms past, grabbing him just as he reaches Bessie. "Don't drive her in anger, Blaine. Come on. Come inside."

"No!"

"Blaine!" Kurt cries desperately, as he arrives outside. "Please. I'm sorry, I was only trying..."

"To help? Well help me now," Blaine barks. "Tell her she's not welcome."

"No."

"Then fuck you," he snarls. "We're done."

"Please don't curse at me," Kurt says sadly.

"Fuck off with telling me not to fucking curse!" Blaine yells. "You're like a sailor on fucking shore leave, you asshole!"

"Okay, fine, curse all you want, but hear me out."

"No! I'm going. I mean it, Kurt, if you don't cancel with her, then we're done."

He tries to open the car again, but Burt grabs the keys and holds his wrist tightly. "No," he says firmly. "I'm not having you wrap yourself or my girl around a tree cause you're all fired up."

"Fine, then I'll walk," Blaine snaps, and he turns and runs off, across the road and down the street, until he disappears out of sight.

"Well, that could've gone better," Burt helpfully observes, as Kurt throws his hands up in despair.

"Oh really. You think? Ugh. Gimme the keys."

"Kurt, I don't think..."

"Dad, I need to go find him and I can't go on foot, can I? I'll never catch him, now please, give me the keys."

"Fine," Burt sighs. "But when you do find him? Sort this mess out. There's nothing worse than you two fighting. I had nearly two years of it and I don't want it startin' up again."

"Neither do I," Kurt mumbles, then pulls the door open and quickly drives away.

It turns out that Blaine can move quickly, and he also doesn't go anywhere that Kurt would have predicted. He's not at home, he's not at the diner they frequent, he's not at the coffee house, and he hasn't gone back to the garage.

He's on his way to Mike's house to see if he's home for the holiday, when he spots a figure sitting alone on a park bench, staring at the playground. Pulling Bessie to a halt, he walks slowly into the park, as if Blaine were a wild animal who might bolt at any second. He sits quietly on the bench next to him, and feels a somewhat small sense of relief when Blaine touches their fingers together in a silent greeting.

"I've been looking for you," Kurt says quietly. "You had me worried."

"I'm sorry," Blaine says morosely. "I shouldn't have gone off like that but I..." He pauses, rubbing a hand over his face, before he turns and looks at Kurt. "I get what you're trying to do, and it's sweet that you love me as much as you do. I want what you want. I want her to be a mom to me, a proper one, but I think too much has happened. You and I can both see glimpses there but ultimately, while she is still married to Spencer, things are never going to work out. To be honest, I think even if she left him things wouldn't be okay. Too much has happened, she's hurt me too badly for me to get back all we had. It won't ever be the same again, and for you to...to invite her to stay...it's hard for me. On the one hand I want to be really excited about it, y'know? But the huge, overwhelming part of me knows that however good it might be, it will also be full of awkwardness for both of us. I won't feel comfortable, and how do you think she will feel, knowing that I belong with you two and not with her? We'll have a couple of days together, and then we'll be back to square one, with her not calling and being elusive and cold, just like what happened after Baltimore."

"It didn't though," Kurt persists gently. "If you think back, your mom actually called you quite a lot after our visit. Things tailed off, I know, but for a while there they had improved. Blaine...I get all you're saying, but can I just explain my side? Will you hear me out?"

"I guess so."

"I want to give her a chance. The way she has treated you in the time I've known you has been horrific, and you're right, no one should ever willingly put their kid in danger like that. All of that is over and done, though it wasn't her who made it better. I should hate her, and in many ways, I do, but let me offer you this. Suppose dad hadn't taken a chance on you that day? What if he'd pulled up his garage door and just seen a sullen teenaged boy bouncing a ball against the wall, and decided to ignore you? What if you'd seen me standing in the kitchen that day, and just

thought I was a jerk and moved on? What if, one of the many, many times I hurt you, that you had walked away for good? What if you knew how much I was hurting, knew how much I needed help, but decided to give up on me? What then? We all need someone to take a chance on us now and then. Whether this will work out, and things will slowly improve, I don't know. But I do know that I'd like you to try. If it doesn't work out, if she walks away and things go back to how they were, then I'm sorry, for you and her, but I'll be here to help you through it all. I don't think you'll ever have the same relationship as you two had when you were fourteen or whatever. You're right, too much has happened, but you can have a relationship of some sort, and I think it's important that you try to. She needs you to reach out to her right now, and you have the support and love from me and dad to enable you to do that."

"And what if I say no?"

"Well, I'll be disappointed, but I'll respect your decision and I'll call her and tell her not to come."

"What time is she supposed to be here?"

"Just before five."

"I trust you enough."

"Huh?"

"To know that you'll help me through all this," Blaine clarifies. "I have faith in you, in us."

"So..."

"So," Blaine says, looking at his watch. "We'd better go to the airport."

"Not in those coveralls," Kurt teases gently. "Let's get you changed and then we'll go."

"I am sorry, Kurt," Blaine tells him, as they walk from the park. "For going off like that. I was angry."

"I noticed."

"We're not done," he says, taking Kurt's hand in his. "Never done."

"I know that," Kurt says lightly. "I also know that if the tables were turned, and you were the one forcing me into something I didn't want to do, I'd be exploding in a rage far worse than yours, so I'm pretty happy with the outcome."

"So I'm a pushover?"

"No." Kurt stops them by the car, wanting to kiss Blaine for all he's worth, but also mindful that this is a park full of parents in Lima, so he settles for hugging him tight instead, and whispering in his ear. "You're perfect, Blaine. Being open to reason doesn't make you a pushover."

"I'm scared," he admits, hanging his head when Kurt steps back. "I'm scared of what will happen, of what I'll feel, of it all being good and then all getting forgotten..."

"But I'm here," Kurt reminds him gently. "I'm here, dad's here, and we are never, ever letting you go. I promise."

Blaine goes gratefully into his embrace once more, until Kurt becomes conscious of two women glaring at him, so he pulls open the car door and ushers Blaine inside.

"Yes, he's my boyfriend," Kurt calls loudly. "We're gay. Going to hell and all that, but hey, at least the sex is good."

"Kurt!" Blaine cries, as he climbs in the car and gives a self satisfied nod. "Oh my god!"

"What? Screw them. I wanted to kiss you and I held off, but they were giving me the evil eye just for hugging you, Blaine, and that's idiotic."

"You..." But Blaine stops, and laughs instead, leaning across to give him a long, lingering kiss. "You are so sweet, and caring and tender, and then every so often, you get feisty."

"Sorry."

"No," Blaine says quickly. "Don't be. Caring Kurt is wonderful, but I fell in love with this sassy, sharp and smart side of you and...God, Kurt, don't ever change."

"Oh." Pleased, he starts the car and draws Blaine close on the bench seat, slinging an arm around his shoulders, kissing into his hair, and happily giving the women the finger as he drives slowly past. "I won't."