Five Years Later

Part 92

The first show after the release of the single had Scott and company on their toes the entire night as everyone wanted to get close to Blaine. While they'd dealt with it on a rather regular basis, this night the crowd had tenacity unlike any of the others. Once the show had ended, it had taken twice as long for Sebastian and Jeff to make their way back to the others due to the crowd at the stage door. This was one time where Vincent was adamant when he looked at them all and told them they were not going out that evening. Normally he got some sort of resistance from them when he'd tell them that, but this night not a peep from any of them.

Even while their friends wanted to go out and celebrate, they all understood when they got texts from Sebastian and Jeff telling them Blaine had to go straight home. With that being the case, they all managed to make their way outside to take in the seen as Blaine left. Most of them ended up taking pictures as the scene was unlike anything they'd ever been a part of. While Blaine did a quick signing, they all noticed Sebastian right beside Scott the entire time. Seeing Blaine in this setting, put into perspective how much Blaine's life was going to be changing.

Once they'd gotten home that night, Sebastian had helped put Blaine's guitars away as Cooper had called him as they'd been walking down the hall. Hearing that Cooper had kept track of how many times he'd heard Blaine's song that day, made them both smile as Cooper was every bit the proud brother. By the time Blaine had gotten off the phone that night, Sebastian was lying in bed waiting for him. While he'd waited, he'd gone to the Dalton website as he wanted to see for himself what his alma mater had done. Wes had told him quite a bit as did the other guys, but he wanted to see with his own eyes what had been done.

The home page for the website had a rotating main section which covered major happenings at the school. When the last of them appeared, it was an announcement of Blaine's single with a link to the article. Upon clicking the link, Sebastian was shocked to see an article written by a former Warbler touting Blaine's launch into the popular music scene. There were quotes from Vincent, as well as some of their friends giving their impression of what they've heard. The article also gave glimpses into who Blaine was while he attended Dalton. After finishing, Sebastian scrolled down to the comments and read things from plenty of classmates who weren't surprised to hear Blaine was singing professionally. He also got to read about how many had bought the song and loved it, even if it wasn't necessarily their type of music. He was nearing the end of the page, as he hadn't even gotten to the Warbler section when Blaine walked into the room. And from the look on his face, Sebastian decided he's share this bit of information with Blaine once they woke the next day.

After changing out of his clothes, it wasn't long till Blaine got into bed beside Sebastian. Even with all he wanted to say, Blaine was utterly exhausted. It only took one shared glance between them, for them to come to the realization they were actually going to sleep. With as full as the day had been, Blaine was relieved he didn't have to be up early in the morning. By the time he finally awoke on Wednesday, he was lying in bed alone. He was about to question why, but one glance at the clock answered it for him. When he swore he heard voices, he made his way out of bed, and grabbed a pair of sweats as he couldn't walk out there dressed in only his boxers. Once he had them on, he went to see who Sebastian was talking to before getting himself some coffee.

Upon reaching the end of the hall, he spotted Wes, Jeff, and Hunter sitting on the couch. Blaine was about to speak, when he felt Sebastian wrap his arms around him from behind. "Sleep well." Sebastian whispered softly into Blaine's ear before kissing him on the temple. Blaine nodded while settling into Sebastian's embrace. "We didn't wake you, did we?" Blaine shook his head in response. While he was comfortable, Blaine slowly turned in Sebastian's arms and looked up at him.

"Why are they here Bas?" The look of concern on Blaine's face was evident when he spoke.

"Relax B; there is nothing to worry about. Hunter came by to drop something off for you and while he was here, the other two arrived." Sebastian told him. "You shouldn't be surprised that they're curious how you're doing after your whirlwind day yesterday." Sebastian then pressed a kiss to Blaine's forehead. "Why don't you go get dressed and I'll make us breakfast?" The moment the word breakfast was mentioned, Blaine cocked an eyebrow. "I've only been up for a couple of hours B, and haven't really eaten."

"Coffee?"

"Yes, as I was waiting for my sleeping beauty to wake." Sebastian wasn't too surprised to see Blaine roll his eyes at his words. "Hey, I'm allowed to have my moments for the next few days. I was tempted to wake you up in the most enjoyable way, but I knew you needed your sleep after yesterday."

"Thank you, but I wouldn't have objected to your methods."

"Maybe tomorrow morning then Killer." When Blaine looked at him, Sebastian cocked his head to the side. "I only mentioned you might want to get dressed as your sweats are a little low and…" Sebastian then leaned in closer. "You can see some light bruises on your hip that resemble finger marks." Instantly a blush crept to Blaine's face. "Don't take long B." Blaine nodded before turning on his heels and heading back to their bedroom to at least grab a t-shirt to put on.

Once Blaine was gone, Sebastian walked back into the living room and sat down. "Any reason why Blaine didn't come with you?" Jeff asked as he looked across at him. "I mean, it wouldn't have been the first time any of us saw him shirtless."

"Shirtless is one thing, untamed curls are another." Sebastian replied with a smile, knowing Wes and Jeff knew all too well how Blaine felt about his curls. "Will you be leaving us once you get Blaine's signature Hunter?"

"I will be." Hunter told them. "When they sent me over this morning, I told them they were taking a chance because of how crazy Blaine's day was yesterday. Yet since I have a relationship with the two of you, they presumed you wouldn't mind me waiting should he be sleeping when I arrived. Or that by chance, you'd wake him." Wes could only shake his head, yet it was clear Hunter was in agreement as well. But he wasn't going to complain about getting out of the office.

Once Blaine came walking into the living room, he had a cup of coffee in hand. After greeting everyone, he and Hunter stepped off to the side so he could sign what was needed. "How is he, as he looks a bit groggy?" Wes asked after glancing over at Blaine and Hunter who were talking.

"He's slow to wake, you should remember that Wes." Jeff replied quickly. "How many times did one of us have to go get him when we had early rehearsal on the weekends?" When Wes laughed, Sebastian looked at him. "Yes Sebastian, even Blaine needed a kick once in a while to come to rehearsal…at least on the weekends."

"And here I thought my boy was quiet back then."

"He was." Wes told him. "Blaine loved curling up in his room and watching classic movies on the weekends. That is when he wasn't overdosing on football." Sebastian laughed softly at that comment as that was so very much Blaine still to this day. "I guess not much has changed."

"Not for the most part." Sebastian said just before Hunter said good-bye to them all and headed on his way. "Everything taken care of B?" He asked as Blaine walked towards him before sitting down beside him.

"As of this moment, yes." Blaine replied. "Now, care to tell me why you two are here?"

"I came by because Morgan was concerned, as was Talia and you weren't answering their texts." Jeff told him. "Yet once I got here and Sebastian told me you were still asleep, I let them know why you hadn't." Jeff then looked over at Wes who nodded. "Alright, we were concerned as well because last night was crazy. And Wes called me knowing I probably had a better idea of what was going on than anyone else besides Sebastian."

"And I didn't call him, because I wasn't sure what the two of you had planned for today." Wes added. "Little did I expect you both to have slept in so late? Sebastian told Jeff and I shortly after we got here that he hadn't been up long." Blaine glanced up at Sebastian who smiled before resting his head on his shoulder. "You look like you could fall back to sleep relatively easily."

"I probably could." Blaine replied. "Yesterday, combined with everything the day before took more out of me than I realized. I'm pretty certain I wasn't in bed for more than ten minutes last night when I passed out cold." When Jeff and Wes looked at Sebastian, he nodded in agreement. "How was Morgan?"

"Our night was similar to yours as we went to bed shortly after we got back to her place." Jeff told him. "I'm not surprised to hear you crashed considering you were on the go all day."

"Me either." Wes acknowledged. "Now, do you have any more crazy days like yesterday coming up?"

"No. I only have a few more interviews this week before we leave. Thankfully, no more than two in a day." Blaine said to them. "And nothing on Saturday." Before Blaine could say anything else, his phone went off and he excused himself from the living room.

With Blaine now out of the room, Sebastian looked at Jeff and Wes. "Have you guys talked to the others about heading back to Ohio in September?"

"Yes, and they all think it's a great idea." Wes told him. "Plus with it being a holiday weekend, travel really won't be an issue for anyone. Do you know if the headmaster got in touch with him yet?"

"Not that I know of, but he has lots of messages he needs to return from yesterday." Sebastian replied. "Plus unless you gave him Blaine's number or he got it from the Andersons, he'd have to go through Blaine's management to reach him."

"That's true."

"Speaking of, why didn't you mention the article to us?" The moment Sebastian spoke, Wes's expression changed. "Wes?"

"That would be because I didn't know until I saw it for myself. Not everything ran through me." Wes replied. "The article was really good though."

"Agreed. It's topping the list of things I need to show B." Sebastian then looked over at Jeff, before looking at Wes again. "And as much as I enjoy having you guys here, I think it's best if you leave shortly after B returns as he's got a full day even if it's going to be spent mostly at home."

"Understandable." Jeff told him. "After everything that's happened you two must have a lot to talk about. We can catch up with him a bit later this week."

"I appreciate that."

"Don't mention it. We get it, right Wes?"

"We do. Considering everything thrown our way because people know we're friends with Blaine, we can only imagine everything sent his way. Also, did you know that all his social media got set to private?"

"I do. That was done before the single dropped so he didn't get bombarded by people that don't truly know him." Sebastian replied. "Depending on how things go, the studio is going to set up new one's that will be fan-based. That way they can have access to Blaine, but he can still remain in contact with those close to him." The words were still coming out of Sebastian's mouth when Blaine came walking back into the room. "Everything okay B?"

"Yes, it was my Mom." Blaine replied before sitting back down, and looking at his friends. "Now, what can I do for the two of you?"

"Nothing." Jeff told him. "But Wes and I can do something for you and leave." When Blaine looked at him, it wasn't long till Blaine looked at Sebastian. "Don't be upset with him Blaine, as he's got a perspective of everything that's going on with you that we don't have. But we will talk to you about everything in the next few days."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." Wes replied as he and Jeff stood. "And if you two need any help handling things, give us a call. Well, everyone but Thad who has his hands full for the next few days." Sebastian looked at Wes before Blaine nudged him.

"Rachel's Dads come into town today." It was only a moment later, that Sebastian began to laugh. "I'd say it's wrong to laugh, but I can't as Thad's going to have his hands full like Wes mentioned."

"Well then, I'll be sure to buy the boy a drink tonight." Sebastian added. "Thanks for being understanding guys."

"Don't mention it." Jeff told him. "You two stay put, we'll see ourselves out. See you tonight!"

"Later!" Blaine called out before they turned and headed for the door. After hearing the door close, Blaine moved onto his side and wrap and arm around Sebastian. "Thank you for that."

"For what?" Sebastian replied while wrapping an arm around Blaine.

"Looking out for me, as I do have a lot of calls to make today."

"Don't mention it Killer. Like Jeff said, my perspective is different from theirs since I'm around you more. And I personally saw your phone lighting up like there was no tomorrow yesterday. Hell, it's been going off all morning as well." Sebastian then pressed a kiss to the top of Blaine's head. "Also, there is a packet for you on the dining room table that Vincent had sent over this morning." Blaine nodded before resting his head against Sebastian. "How about we go make breakfast, and then we can take things from there?"

"Sounds perfect."

With everything that had been going on with Blaine, it had allowed Rachel to not get as nervous as she probably would've otherwise. After leaving her last dress rehearsal, she was happy to see Thad waiting for her outside of the theater. "You could've come inside you know." Rachel told him after he gave her a kiss.

"I know, but I only got here a few minutes ago and presumed you'd be out shortly which you were." Thad told her before taking her hand. "Are you ready to go see your Dads?"

"I should be asking you that, are you ready to meet them?"

"I'm as ready as I possibly can be." Thad replied while giving her hand a squeeze. "Do you mind if I ask what you've told them about me?

"Essentially the basics. That you went to Dalton, are friends with Blaine, and that you're currently attending Med School." Rachel said as she looked up at him. "Of course they asked a million questions, that I answered the best I could. But regardless of what I told them, I'm certain they're going to ask you plenty of questions as well. Probably most of the same ones they asked me knowing them, but they'll want to get the answers from you."

When she looked down, Thad stopped walking and soon cupped her cheek, causing her to look up at him. "Relax Rach; it's going to be okay. I don't mind answering questions as I know they're only asking because they love you and they want to know all about the man in your life."

"But…"

"I said to relax." Thad then leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Blaine gave me a bit of a heads up in regards to your Dads." When Rachel laughed, Thad smiled. "See, I've got a good idea of what I'm getting myself into. I did my fair share of research as well."

"That's good to know, as I don't think one person could quite prepare you for meeting them." Rachel smiled before kissing Thad. "Now let's get going as it's best we reach them before they come searching for us."

During the rest of their walk to the hotel, the focus wasn't on the meeting that was about to happen, but everything that was happening around them. Thad got a good laugh when Rachel told him that when she walked into the theater, Jean-Baptiste was walking down the hall singing Blaine's song to himself. Yet he really shouldn't as he'd caught himself singing it probably more than he should admit to anyone outside of their inner circle. So when they reached the hotel and walked into the lobby, they exchanged a smile as it was playing inside. It was clear they were about to comment when her Dads came walking towards them.

"And here we were thinking we'd have to go looking for you both." Hiram said before giving Rachel a hug as Leroy already was. After the hug broke, Rachel's Dads looked at Thad who was quietly standing beside her. "Are you going to introduce us Rachel or are we to presume this is Thad?" A blush crept to Rachel's cheek while Thad suppressed a chuckle.

"For a girl that loves to talk, you're rather quite right now." LeRoy said to her.

"I'm sorry, and yes, this is Thad." Rachel said as she took his hand once again. "Thad Harwood, I'd like to introduce you to my Dads, LeRoy and Hiram." Thad then extended his hand to shake theirs. "Dads, Thad."

"You do realize you already confirmed that Rachel." Hiram told her with a smile. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Thad."

"Mine as well sir." Thad replied.

"Please, call us Leroy and Hiram." LeRoy said in response, earning a nod from Thad. "Now, Rachel tells us you two became reacquainted under unusual circumstances." His words caused Thad to look down at Rachel. "Didn't I remember correctly?"

"Oh, you remembered correctly." Rachel told him. "I just don't think Thad expected me to share that moment with you both. It wasn't one of my finest, and I'm certain Blaine and Sebastian would agree, as would Santana."

"Is this true Thad?" Hiram asked as they made their way over to some of the couches near the lobby bar. "Or is she exaggerating the extent of her reaction?"

"Depending on precisely what she told you, I'd say it's true as her reaction was something to remember." Thad replied. "But since only a few knew Blaine and Sebastian were together at that time. It was understandable especially with the history involved." He then turned to give Rachel a kiss on her cheek. "Yet we all understood why, so it was easier to accept. Plus Blaine made where he stood crystal clear."

"He certainly did." Rachel confirmed. "And now that I've gotten to know Sebastian, I couldn't have been more wrong about him." Goes to prove, there is more to people than you might realize."

"Is this about Kurt dear?" LeRoy asked, quickly earning a nod from Rachel. "We saw Burt a few days ago and he told us he was sorry for everything that has happened."

"He's got nothing to be sorry for." Rachel told them. "The only thing he did wrong was not question anything Kurt told him. We were all lied to, especially the two of us." Her Dads both nodded in understanding as Thad slid his arm around her waist. "Now, are the two of you sure you want to come to Blaine's show tonight?"

"Considering what we've heard, absolutely." Hiram replied. "That was his song playing when you arrived, wasn't it?"

"Yes, it was." Rachel said. "I only asked as the places he plays as of right now, aren't the places the two of you were typically go. And well, things got a little crazy last night." Thad once again tried not to laugh, but he couldn't help but snicker. "Even you thought things were crazy last night."

"All of us thought they were." Thad told her. "Scott and the guys are going to be busy if last night was any sort of an indicator."

"How have Blaine's parents handled things?" LeRoy asked given what was said.

"The first time they came, they sat out in the audience with Sebastian and the rest of us." Thad replied. "But when they were here last time, they watched from the wings as the crowds were already getting crazy. It was for the best as even Sebastian and Jeff are having issues with some of the things they heard during performances." Each of Rachel's Dads looked at Thad after his comment.

"Jeff's girlfriend is Blaine's bass player, it's how they met." Rachel told them. "And people have this tendency to talk about them in…sexual ways. In all honesty, they can be quite vulgar."

"And that's one of the things you're worried about us hearing." Hiram said to her.

"Yes."

"While it might be uncomfortable, we'll survive Rachel. But thank you for looking out for us." Hiram told her. "Now, how are you feeling about tomorrow?"

"I'm excited, but not overwhelmed. With everything else that's been happened, I haven't been able to focus on solely that moment." Rachel replied. "I think it's worked out for the best. Plus, I'm already more comfortable this time around than I ever was when it came to Funny Girl. I believe that's because I've got such a remarkable cast supporting me, believing in me."

"Well, from what Jean-Baptiste said on Monday night, they've got every reason to." Thad told her. "And from everything Blaine ever told us about him, he wouldn't say anything he didn't truly believe."

"Jean-Baptiste?" LeRoy asked.

"Fiyero." Rachel replied. "I actually got to speak with him before my audition since he's a friend of Blaine's. He's really helped me get comfortable." When her Dads exchanged a look before glancing at Thad, Rachel giggled. "It's nothing like that. Jean-Baptiste has a girlfriend who he is very devoted to; no ulterior motives are in play here."

"Are you alright with this Thad?" Hiram inquired.

"Why wouldn't I be, I trust Rachel." Thad told them. "And if I didn't, I'd have issues considering the two are going to kiss each night."

"That's a very good point. It still can't be easy."

"It was something I came to terms with very quickly since it's part of her job. It would be wrong of me to get upset with her about something that is out of her control." Once he spoke, Rachel leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "Now since you only got into town, I'm not sure what you have planned before Blaine's show this evening. But, Rachel and I would very much like to take the two of you out to dinner as it would give us more time to talk."

"While we appreciate the offer Thad, you don't need to do that." LeRoy said to him.

"We want to do it." Thad replied. "While most people would invite you over for dinner, each of our cooking skills could use a little work. Not to mention, this will allow us more time to talk." Leroy and Hiram looked at one another again. "With not be as proficient in the kitchen, our concentration wouldn't be with the conversation at hand." When Rachel giggled, her Dads looked at her.

"Sorry, but he's right. We both have to concentrate in the kitchen otherwise there are….mishaps."

"What sort of mishaps?" Hiram asked.

"We've both nicked ourselves more than a few times. Not to mention, looked away from something only to have it burn moments later." Rachel replied, and soon her Dads began to talk quietly to one another. "They're going to want to pay." Rachel whispered into Thad's ear as she held his hand.

"Don't parents always." Thad said before kissing her temple. "Sebastian said last time he and Blaine took Victoria out while she was in town, he had to find their waitress before the bill arrived to stop his Mom from paying even though he and Blaine took her out. It's a hard adjustment for most parents to make."

It didn't take long for Rachel's Dads to accept their invitation to dinner, pleasing them both. Since Rachel was coming from rehearsal, the two gave them the name of the restaurant and when to meet them so they could both go home and get ready. Once that was decided upon, they all stood so Rachel and Thad could head on their way. After watching them exit the hotel, Hiram looked at Leroy who was practically beaming. "She's happy." Hiram said before they headed for the elevators to head back up to their room. "Happier than we've seen in a long time. Everything is finally falling into place for her."

"It certainly is." LeRoy replied. "Thad isn't quite what I expected, even after what she told us about him." Hiram tilted his head, caught off by LeRoy's words. "I'm not saying that in a bad way, he's quite different from everyone she's ever dated before. I never imagined our daughter dating someone so…so…I can't quite put my finger on it. Yet, knowing he's a friend of Blaine's makes complete sense."

"Along with everything we know about Dalton Academy." Hiram added. "The way he carries himself says a lot about him. It's clear he was raised in a more, formal atmosphere."

"I think that's what it is." LeRoy said before they entered the elevator. "He's a very self-assured young man. Plus, even with the short amount of time we spent with him, it's clear how much he cares for Rachel."

"He certainly is, plus I noticed that as well. It's clear that he cares about her and supports her." Hiram said. "It was also nice having him be so comfortable around us." LeRoy laughed softly. "Come now, you can't tell me you weren't expecting another awkward meeting of a boyfriend."

"From what Rachel told us about him, I really wasn't." LeRoy told him. "Considering how close he is to Blaine and Sebastian, I knew from the start he didn't have a problem with who we are."

"That's a good point." Hiram replied as the doors opened. "Let's not forget that he didn't judge her over the top reaction to seeing Blaine and Sebastian together that first time. A lot of people wouldn't have even given her a chance after that."

"Yet he did. And from everything Rachel told us, things between them happened very naturally. He wasn't the only one open-minded either, considering what Rachel had ever been told about Blaine's friends from Dalton."

"Clearly, the things she was told were skewed to give a certain perception about them." Hiram said as they headed toward their room after exiting the elevator. "Because if those boys were even close to what Kurt had described, they wouldn't be such a big part of our daughter's life. It certainly makes me wonder what happened when Burt met Thad as he had some rather strong words about him."

"But considering the discord between Blaine and Kurt, that's not surprising in the slightest." LeRoy added. "It's as Rachel told us, more went on between the two of them than anyone was aware of. And while it was disappointing how things turned out, it was clearly for the best."

"You're not saying that only because Blaine's reconnection with his friends, brought happiness to Rachel's?" When Hiram looked at him, he saw a smile creep to his husband's face. "I can't fault you for that as I truly began to worry about Rachel. But now, she has a new found zest for life that probably wouldn't have happened if the others hadn't been brought into her life."