"Two months exactly to your wedding day!" Amy Scarbo shrieks in Blaine's face when she answers the door.

Blaine laughs and steps inside, hanging his coat neatly and following her down the hall. He loves this job. He loves the relationship he has with these two kids, who have come to love and trust him as they would an older brother.

Amy is exceptionally bright, and relishes every challenge Blaine sets for her, unless it's math, which she hates. She claims she can't do it, but Blaine knows she can, and has been impressed by her progress so far. Her mid terms are fast approaching, and so Blaine has offered to come an extra day, to help her get that all important grade, which he thinks will be an A, while she maintains she'll be lucky to scrape a B.

Ben is much quieter, more reserved and generally introverted. As far as Blaine knows he has one friend, Miles, but no one else at all. He gives very little away about his time at school, but he is always warm, polite and happy to learn with Blaine, who exercises patience and understanding, and helps him to work around his dyslexia. He also loves to talk with Blaine about space, and to hear all about his career plans. He's trying to convince Blaine to be an astronaut, but it all falls on deaf ears.

He always tutors Amy first. It's quite the whirlwind, as she talks rapidly and continuously, even when working. That's why he puts Ben last, he knows she wouldn't wait patiently for her turn.

"My friends think you two are so cute," she gushes, as she sits at the dining table. "Alicia was all like 'OMG they are totes in love' and I was all, 'You should see them together in real life, beyond cute!'"

"Uh...how do your friends know about us?" Blaine asks, and Amy fiddles with her long blond hair, her blue eyes darting this way and that.

"I snuck a couple of pictures of you at your birthday meal."

"Amy!"

"But you two are adorable! Take a look."

Pulling out her phone, she shows Blaine two pictures. In one, he is actually sitting in Santana's lap, her arms wrapped around his middle, as he blows out the candles on his cake. It's a sweet photo, but what makes it is Kurt, standing with his hand on Blaine's shoulder. His face is so full of love and adoration, and it's so plain to see, that Blaine's breath catches in his throat when he looks.

The second is a candid. The camera is pointed down the long table they had all occupied that night. At the head of the table sits Blaine, with Kurt on his right. Blaine is reaching out, his right hand resting on Kurt's cheek, just as he leans in for a kiss.

Blaine smiles at the image, then instinctively scrolls to the next, which is of Santana and his mom talking. "You have more?"

"Uh...yeah. You can look if you want," she says shyly.

So he scrolls through, but they are mainly of the whole group that night, with a lot involving Santana with various people. "She always works her way into every picture," Blaine laughs, then hands Amy her phone. "They're great. And I'm glad your friends think we're cute," he adds. "So. Trigonometry."

"Is of no use whatsoever. How's the wedding plans?"

"Good, thank you. Page seventy two, please."

"Did you always know you wanted to marry a boy?"

"Hmm," Blaine says, flicking through the book for her. "Well, no. Kurt did. He'll tell you, he always wanted to marry a prince."

"Aw, and he found a real life Prince Charming!"

"I don't know about that."

"I do," Amy says, gazing adoringly at his slick dark hair and his neat bow tie. "So you thought you were straight?"

"Not necessarily, I just didn't think I was anything," Blaine says, thinking about it. "I guess, when I was growing up, it was assumed I was straight. You know, my parents used to say 'You'll grow up and meet a nice girl, get married.' Well, I did meet a nice girl, Santana, and I am getting married, it's just that those two don't go hand in hand."

"So when did you know?"

"I was around fifteen, I guess. I told my dad- my original one- that I liked boys more than I liked girls, and then I quickly realized that I didn't actually like girls in that way at all."

"You never have?"

"No. I mean, take Santana. She's beautiful, right?"

"Oh, she really is, yeah."

"And I can see that. But I don't feel anything like attraction when I look at her."

"But that could be because you're engaged," Amy tells him. "You're not allowed to be attracted to other people."

"I disagree. Kurt and I, we're always going to look at uh...um... a hot guy," he stammers. "And find him attractive. We have different types, but also a few that we both like. Celebrities and such. But also, you know, like a guy will walk past on the street, and maybe my head will turn, or Kurt does a double take. We just choose not to act on it, because for me, I find him more attractive than anyone else, and also, I love him. I love that we know each other so well, you know?"

"So you wouldn't, even if it was offered on a plate?"

"No," he says, turning bright red, when he thinks how it was offered to both of them so recently. "Neither of us would."

"So cute," Amy sighs dreamily. "So in love. I can't wait for your wedding."

"Neither can I. Now, can we get to work? Kurt and I are meeting the wedding planner at seven."

"Sure."

She reads over the question, and Blaine watches her, this young girl of sixteen, thinking back to when he himself was that age. Totally innocent, until Kurt corrupted him, and he has to hold back from bursting into a fit of laughter, at the thought of him lying across the seat of his old, worn out car, attempting to give his first blow job. Whatever it was Kurt had seen in him, it certainly wasn't that.

He's brought out of his daydream by Amy's hand over his, and he looks up to find her watching him. "Thank you for helping my brother."

"Oh. It's my pleasure, trust me. I love spending time with you both. Your whole family, in fact."

"That's great, but Ben... he was so lost," she says sadly. "He really needed someone to give him some guidance. I mean, our parents are great, but who really talks to their parents about stuff? You're just what he needed to find his feet again, so thank you."

Blaine nods, embarrassed by the effusive compliment. He thinks Amy might have a small crush. As she chews the end of her pen and tries to figure out the question, a thought comes to him, and he wonders why he didn't realize it before, given her line of questioning.

"Amy? Do you think Ben might be gay?"

She looks at him sharply, her cheeks turning pink. "Uh no. I don't. I think I might be gay."

"Oh. Oh!" He says, his eyes wide. "Santana."

"Well, yeah, but..."

"She's thirty three," Blaine says gently.

"I know that. Like you can talk. Anyway, it's not like that. I was just kinda...struck, I guess. Like you said, she's beautiful."

"She's also a monster."

"She loves you."

"She does, and I love her. Is Santana the first girl you've liked though?"

"No. There's another. Toni."

Picking up her phone again, she shows Blaine four or five photos of her with a girl in cheerleading uniform, who doesn't look too dissimilar to a young Santana. They're happy and smiling in all of them.

"We've been friends since middle school, and I think she likes me the same way I like her, but I'm not sure. Why is it so hard to figure out? Then sometimes I think maybe I should try and like a boy, instead, but I just don't have a desire to kiss any boy like I have to kiss Toni. Can I know that? Did Kurt know at three?"

"You can know it, or not know it. You can live your whole life and not figure it out. You might be bisexual, or pansexual, or anything in between. You never have to identify as anything if you don't want to. You're sixteen, Amy. Take your time with it all. Have fun, ask her out. She's beautiful and it looks like you have fun together. Ask her to get coffee, or go to the movies. Make it clear that it's a date."

"What if she says no?

"Who could ever turn you down?"

"You sound like my dad," she says, rolling her eyes. "If I ask her and she says no, can I blame you?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." Satisfied, she leans her head very briefly on his shoulder. "You're kinda awesome. And totally cute. You know what? I will take time to work this through."

"Good. And you can always talk to me, you know? I won't tell anyone. Not even Kurt."

"You're the best thing that's happened to me and Ben," Amy declares. "Thanks to you, I know that if I do come out, my parents will be okay. We didn't know any gay people, then dad brought you and Kurt for dinner, and I'll be honest, I was surprised how natural they were. Like you being two guys didn't matter. I asked mom and she seemed totally confused, like she couldn't figure out why you being gay was a big deal. She said she's just really happy that dad teaches such a sweet boy," she laughs, "And she was gushing over Kurt too, of course. They're so excited for your wedding. We all are, and I look at them and I think I'm so lucky, to know that if I do come out as whatever, they'll be cool."

"They will." He smiles, then frowns as he looks at his watch. "But the wedding planner won't be if I'm late. Come on, we've got work to do."

"Is she fierce?"

Blaine nods, his face serious. "A tyrant."

"Late!" Santana screeches at him when he bursts into the apartment.

"Five minutes! Come on!"

"Still late," she huffs, and she's not even moved when he kisses her cheek.

"Where's Kurt?"

"In the kitchen. Allegedly getting me a glass of wine!" she hollers through, and Blaine hurries in there away from her wrath.

"I swear to god, she will not make it through the next three months," Kurt hisses, as soon as Blaine kisses his neck in greeting. "Who the hell decided to hire her as our wedding planner?"

"Uh...you did. Or she decided for us. Whatever, it certainly wasn't me."

"Hello, by the way."

"Hello," Blaine grins, and then kisses Kurt slowly on the lips, running his tongue briefly into his mouth, where he can taste wine. "You've had a glass already?"

"I swigged from the bottle," Kurt admits. "She drove me to it."

"Get your asses out here!" Santana yells. "We need to discuss cake."

"Ooh," they chorus together, and rush through to take their places at the table.

"Okay. Kurt, you said you wanted to use the bakery on Linden."

"I do. They're always good, and it's a small business, so I know they'll appreciate the customer"

"They do. Marcia, the owner, said the three thousand you had budgeted was way too much though, and Blaine's cuteness has also got you ten per cent off."

"My...what?"

"She knows you as the cute one with the bow ties," Santana tells him, her anger forgotten, as she reaches out and cups his cheek. "I told her you were my baby."

"Oh please God no," Kurt mutters.

"So she needs your choices for next week. I don't know if you want to go for the same on all three tiers, or what?"

"Red velvet cake," Kurt says quickly. "Her red velvet is to die for."

"Kurt, no! It'll look like blood!" Blaine cries, horrified.

"So?"

"Not for a wedding cake. Please."

"Let me guess, you want chocolate?"

"Yes."

"So get three different layers," an exasperated Santana tells them. "Vanilla, chocolate and red velvet. Done. Okay, moving on. You've both now come to me individually and asked to sing at the reception. So I'm just putting it out there, because I don't want one of you- Kurt- thinking I've lied or kept secrets or whatever."

"You wanna sing to me?" Blaine asks Kurt in surprise. "That's...that's so sweet."

"Hmm, well. I just..."

For the first time possibly ever, Kurt turns shy. He rubs the back of his neck, just like Blaine does, and stares down at the table, before looking back up at him. "It's our wedding," he says quietly. "It's everything to me."

Blaine reaches out, taking his hands in his and smiling softly. He's pretty sure he can't speak, so he just nods instead, and hopes Kurt understands.

Santana clears her throat, and Blaine turns to catch her wiping away a tear. "So you'll sing to each other," she says briskly. "Good. Right. The ceremony. Did you ask Brian if he could stop by?"

"Yeah." Kurt comes out of his moment with a frown as he checks the clock. "Actually, he should be here by now. Hmm."

"Want me to go up?" Blaine offers, but at that moment a knock comes on their apartment door, and Santana grabs it.

"Hey," she says warmly, showing Brian inside. "We were just talking about you."

Brian doesn't look at her, nor at Blaine and Kurt. He just sits uncomfortably at the table and folds his hands neatly. He looks terrible. His skin tone is almost gray, his eyes dull and lifeless, and Blaine notices that he's trembling. "I do apologize for my lateness. What did I miss?"

Kurt's eyes flick to Blaine and then Santana, both of whom seem as confused as he is. "Uh...Brian? Are you okay?"

"Oh, fine, fine. Santana? You wanted to talk to me about the vows?"

"Uh...yeah," she says slowly. "But if you're...we can do this another time, if you want to? I could meet you for coffee, or come by one day after school? Kurt and Blaine don't necessarily need to be present for it. I just need to go through the stuff you need to legally say, that's all."

"No, that's fine, we can go through it now. Shoot."

Santana keeps it brief. She can sense that all is very far from well, and she knows that Kurt and Blaine are worried too from the looks they keep sharing. After ten minutes she feigns an excuse, telling Brian she hasn't brought all the papers she needed, so she will catch up with him again next time. She gathers her stuff quickly, and when Kurt escorts her to the door, she whispers to him to call her later, while Brian sits at the table in an awkward silence with Blaine.

"Brian, would you like some wine?" Kurt calls over when he's closed the door. "You're welcome to stay and watch TV with Blaine and I."

"Oh, no, I'm just going to... I have to go." He pushes back from the table, still not looking anyone in the eye. "I'm going to be busy for a few days, really. Maybe a week or so. If you could just text me any wedding stuff I need to know, I'd be grateful."

Blaine rises, and follows him to the door. "Brian, please," he says softly. He takes Kurt's hand, needing him close by. "What's wrong?"

Brian stops, his hand on the door and his head bowed. "Loic died today," he whispers.

The tears come, as he knew they would the moment he said it out loud and made it real, and he rests his head against the door and sobs.

"My husband died."

Blaine can feel his legs wanting to give way beneath him, and Kurt staggers slightly, but they both go to him, wrapping their arms around him, as the man they love and admire so much, crumbles.

"He's gone. I can't...I don't...it's like I don't even know how to breathe anymore. It hurts," he gasps, clinging to Kurt. "Oh god it hurts so much."

"Brian, we are so sorry," Blaine says through tears of his own. "I'm just...so sad for you. I don't know what to say."

"He's my love. My love."

"I know," Kurt says sweetly, taking his hand and guiding him to the couch. "And he was an amazing man. So funny, and sweet, and he loved you in return, you know. So much."

"I didn't know, I didn't think..." Brian gasps through his sobs. "They called yesterday and said he wasn't good. Sleepy and disorientated, but that's nothing new, is it? I stayed with him last night. I didn't know why, at the time, but something was telling me not to leave him. I talked with him about everything. I told him again, about how we met. I told him all my memories. Little things, like when he convinced me he had made croissants from scratch and then I discovered he'd got them from the patisserie a block over. Or when I spent an entire day looking for a certain pair of shoes and then he came home wearing them. Bigger things too; the night he proposed, the first time we went to bed...our first kiss. I had never been attracted to a man before. He swayed me. He took my heart, he ran away with it and he made it his. I fell so hard for him, and I never stopped falling. I never stopped."

Blaine and Kurt sit either side of him, their arms around his shoulders. They listen, they cry, and they share their own memories too. Though they only knew Loic for a short space of time, he had made quite the impression, and the three of them laugh through their tears, as they recall all the times he had loudly tried to discuss the one with the hair, le chien, and their 'sex on the door.'"

"Really, he was entirely inappropriate," Brian laughs.

The hurt is still there, the pain is no less, and he knows that soon he will have to sleep, and when he wakes, it'll be a day since Loic died, and then two, but talking about him, remembering good times that happened as recently as a few months ago, it helps.

"Aw, he was sick though," Kurt says kindly. "It wasn't his fault."

"No, Kurt, he was entirely inappropriate before that too," Brian tells him. "Worse, in fact."

"Just like Kurt, then?" Blaine asks.

"Yeah, just like Kurt."

"Hey!"

"What will I do?" Brian asks suddenly. "For the last four years my whole life has been devoted to caring for him, first at home and then visiting the retirement home every day. What will I do now? I have no family, not any that chooses to speak to me, anyway. I have a sister in California, but I haven't spoken to her in...what? Seven years? I can't just call her out of the blue. Where would I even start?"

"Well you know, if you wanted to, you could always visit my mom," Blaine offers. "I know she wouldn't mind. At least you'd be in the same state as your sister, if you wanted to meet up with her or something. But that's for another time, maybe."

"You're right," Brian says with a sigh. "But yes, I could talk to your mom about a short visit, maybe. Thank you. I guess I'd better go home now. It's late, and I've taken up your whole evening. I um... I can't thank you both enough," he says sincerely as he stands. "You're true friends."

"Uh...Brian?" Kurt gives a quick glance at Blaine, who nods. "We would both feel a whole lot better if you'd stay here, for tonight at least. I mean, I'd kinda like to have you stay with us for a while, but that's your choice."

"You don't have to do that," he says softly.

"No, and you didn't have to redecorate our apartment after Blaine's attack. You didn't need to take us to the hospital, or check on me every day while he was in there. You didn't have to be our friend at all, Brian, but you've been an endless source of comfort and help to both of us, which is why we asked you to officiate for us. Please, stay."

Brian looks at Blaine, who does his best puppy dog eyes and makes him laugh. "Okay. Because le chien will never let up otherwise. I'll stay."

It is late when Brian is eventually settled in the guest room. Kurt and Blaine tell him repeatedly to just come into their room if he needs anything or if he's upset, but somehow they know he won't. Still, Kurt gets that. Sometimes it's good to be alone, and just knowing someone is across the hall who cares, is enough.

He closes the bedroom door softly and turns to face Blaine, who is sitting up in bed waiting, one arm outstretched, ready to hold him. "You're a good person," he tells Kurt sincerely, once he's cuddled in close in the dark. "You know what? When we first met I remember thinking you couldn't be the Kurt you presented to the world, and you're not. You have such a wonderful, caring heart."

"Blaine!"

"What?"

"I was already close to tears again and now you've set me off."

"Well I'm sorry, but it needed to be said."

"Thank you. You're the same, you know?" Kurt says, as he wipes at his eyes. "Beautiful inside and out."

"I'm so sad, Kurt."

"I know." Kurt settles down, pulling Blaine tight against him, and together they watch one another in the darkness, the tears rolling down their cheeks. "I am too, and it hurts. It hurts that we can't make this better for him, and it hurts that we've lost a friend."

"Hearing Brian talk this evening, having all those memories of a happy life together, I kinda can't wait for that to be us, you know?" Blaine asks. "I mean, this is awful, so sad but..."

"Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all, huh?"

"Exactly."

They kiss, softly, slowly and lovingly, pulling apart so their foreheads rest together. "And I do love you, my darling Kurt," Blaine whispers. "I'm so looking forward to being married to you."