AN: So after deep thought I'm going to make this the penultimate chapter and here's why, this chapter was supposed to be Kurt reflecting on the incident and then learning that if Blaine forgets he'll be safe and the next one was with a Blaine that didn't know Kurt, but that last one was far too painful. Hope you enjoy.

Chapter Twelve

Dalton Academy

For four days Blaine had been on life support, four days and Kurt had only seen that very bruised and broken body twice. Blaine had only been conscious for one of those times and during the time that they had spoken, Blaine had only asked Kurt not to blame himself and that this was going to happen anyway. Then the worst, Blaine thanked Kurt for being there for him, for being so strong and making Blaine feel loved that night.

And I'm just scared that you'll keep changing and you'll keep getting stronger and then one day you'll wake up and realize, I don't love him anymore.

"Always," Kurt confirmed to himself as he got off the bus that had taken him to the large lake, "I'm always going to love you." He wanted to remember the direction the water had been going on the night he missed his Blaine. Feel the splash of the cold water over his skin and just live in the forgetfulness of it. He would get back there and nothing would have changed, Blaine would only be taking deep breaths and going to the gym to relieve tension and he wouldn't notice that Kurt had actually been gone for weeks.

That was how it had to be didn't it? With a sad smile, Kurt walked around the pier. He wanted so badly now to go home, he missed Blaine telling him that he was in love with him, he missed all of those small intimate details that Blaine worked hard on and sometimes he would take for granted…okay a lot of the time.

Maybe the point of meeting the younger Blaine was to fully understand the man he was about to marry so he could appreciate him more, so that they could be together in a more satisfying way. Kurt wanted to repair all of the chips of their relationship and make everything so secure, living without Blaine just wasn't an option anymore.

As he continued on his walk he saw a sign with some swan peddle boats, 'Destiny Sails' he read and laughed over it before his mind caught onto it, this was the same name as the ferry company he had used when he had entered the fog. Was this the same company that had taken him into the past? Would a swan paddleboat take him back to his future?

The logo was the same and underneath was the line 'Time is what you choose it to be'.

Kurt looked around the small shack trying to find someone and then caught sight of a man who was fishing in the lake, "Sir," Kurt said nervously, "Do you run this stand?" he asked as the man looked at him and smiled.

"Ah, I was wondering when I would see you on this side of the river," he joked as Kurt frowned, "You took a ferry in New York didn't you?" he asked as Kurt frowned, "If you hop back onto one of these swan boats then you could most likely get back home," he said as Kurt smiled. He reached into his pocket and was about to take out his wallet, but no. Even if he was returning to his Blaine, there was still a very insecure Blaine who needed to know that he was leaving and there was something that Kurt needed to give to his parents. His father had been distant, but even he was distraught about what had happened and felt that he was responsible for it. Despite overhearing the apologies to his wife, Kurt couldn't forgive him. It was never right to take ones anger out on their child.

"I need to…" Kurt started, but the man looked back at him.

"If you leave the memories of all who you have touched will turn into blurred colors and lines, dreams in another way. Oh, they will still exist but they won't be conscious and as for this dance that I know you've been to…well, he'll have to start imagining another person so that he doesn't lapse into insanity. There is only one item that you can give to him that will not be changed and that is the souvenir from this trip, the one item that you can give to anyone."

Kurt looked at the man, so everything of Blaine's that was important and that Kurt had given him would be gone, the songs, the creation of Nightbird's costume, the love of hair gel and bow ties, friendship, love, security. He nodded and then went into his bag and pulled out something that wasn't relevant to him but it was the thing that Blaine needed the most. A brochure about Dalton Academy.

He had always known that Blaine would be the most happy here, he had always known that this was the place where Blaine's life started to turn around and even though it wasn't a photograph of Blaine's smiling face he would gain confidence through this, courage, and Kurt…

Kurt turned to the man, "Will I remember this?" he asked as the man shook his head

"You will just believe you are getting over a very bad cold," he replied as Kurt handed him the Dalton brochure which had a picture of The Warblers inside. "You can take all the time you need but you will return three days later already in the time you share with your fiancee and…"

"He needs me to come back," Kurt whispered as he watched the man work his magic on the brochure and Kurt placed it back in his bag. If this was all that he could give to Blaine it would be enough.

He said a quick goodbye knowing that he'd be back before too long, right now though he wanted to see Blaine.

—-

Blaine was awake when Kurt came back to the hospital and Kurt was scared about how he would feel to know that everything would change. Was it even worth telling him? No, if anything he and Blaine always shared the truth with one another, even though it would hurt both of them, Kurt didn't want to lie to the boy who would become the man he loved so deeply and sometimes so painfully.

"I have to go back to where I'm from," Kurt replied, "and at that time you'll forget who I am and all of our memories and I'll forget who you are, we will meet again but I want you to have courage and believe in something more powerful than hope, believe that we are soulmates."

Kurt took the Dalton brochure out of his bag alongside something else he had made for Blaine, a gum wrapper ring with Juicy Fruit wrappers that was similar to the one that Blaine had given to him in the future. Their first Christmas as a couple had been beautiful and Kurt knew he wanted many many more Christmases to come.

"Here," he said handing the ring to Blaine who smiled with a quick laugh, "This is the place where you need to go, there will be safety and protection for you, you'll be able to sing, and most importantly, this is where I remember meeting you," Kurt replied as he sat next to Blaine and wrapped an arm around Blaine's back.

He knew Blaine wanted to protest but was to weak to do so.

"I really do love you already, I know I'll feel it in my heart," Blaine said, not stuttering at all and Kurt smiled lightly before standing and facing Blaine.

"I've got one last song for you," he said as Blaine tilted his head to the side.

"I love it when you sing," he whispered as Kurt opened his mouth, trying to understand that these were the last few moments of being with Blaine before he paddled into the night and back into the world in which he belonged.

"The power lines went out and I am all alone
but I don't really care at all not answering my phone."

Somehow this made the line 'erase the memory of your face' so much more powerful for both of them.

This wasn't goodbye, Kurt would never be saying a proper goodbye to his soulmate.