RyderPOV-
''How do you feel,'' Blair asks.
It's the middle of September, when it's getting colder and the leaves are barely changing.
We decided I'd take two classes this semester. In between her working two jobs, and me going to school and having my own job, we need something to fall back on in case Noah gets sick.
''I'm fine,'' I stare down at Noah, who is asleep across my chest, Blair's hand on his back.
''No, you're not. But I won't make you talk about it,'' Blair looks at me, then back to Noah, ''Not until you're ready.''
''I don't understand why this is happening. They've been married for twenty years. Why now,'' I quietly ask.
My parents are considering getting a divorce, for whatever reason they're not telling me.
''Thank you,'' I mutter when Blair presses a kiss to my shoulder.
It's a Sunday, the day where neither of us have to work.
''I'm starting to wonder if most relationships end like that,'' I admit, not able to look Blair in the eyes.
''It's not black and white like that, Ryder,'' Blair sighs ,''I'll admit that when you tell me I'm the only one for you, that I'm beautiful, that you love me…. I wonder if you're trying to convince yourself as much as you're trying to convince me. Because, and let's be honest, it's really just amazing that we're still together. But I love being with you.''
''So you think it can work? They got married young, too, Blair.''
''We're not them. We don't want to be like them, Ryder. Which is why we are waiting to get married. We may very well change our mind by then,'' she insists ,''Not that I want us too.''
She's right, though. It is a miracle that Blair and I have managed to work this out for four years, despite numerous fights.
So why couldn't my parents work it out?
''They love you, Ryder. And maybe they'll change their minds. I've seen that happen before,'' she reassures me, rubbing Noah's curls as she speaks.
''It's just… I need something in my life to be consistent. Nothing has been so far,'' I look down ,''Sometimes I think you and Noah are the only ones that I can count on. That accept me for who I am.''
Especially when I can't do that myself.
''Okay, first of all, you know that's not true. Your parents love you, Ryder. And so does my family, and our friends. Jake and Marley and Rory? They're your best friends. You can always talk to them. Second of all, you have dad and Kurt. You know you have me already,'' she smiles, kissing my cheek.
''I know,'' I kiss the top of her head, breathing in the smell of her shampoo, ''I have no idea what you're doing with me.''
We've both put each other through a lot, but I keep pushing you to the edge. You can do so much better.
''You accept me. I've spent so long being judged for whatever, and I didn't know how to tell you when we first started dating. Hell, I was scared to tell my dad everything. I couldn't handle two of the most important people in my life not accepting me for who I am,'' she explains.
''I've always tried to accept you. It didn't bother me that you're bisexual so much as that I had to find out from someone else,'' I remind Blair as she lays her head on my shoulder, holding Noah's hand as he sleeps.
''And I'm sorry for that, but it all worked out. I've put strain on this relationship, and so have you. I think in high school we forced ourselves to be together, and neither one of us were ready for something serious. We hadn't even been dating for six months when we found out I was pregnant with Grace, and we looked for whatever was missing with other people. I don't need to look anymore.''
''Are you really saying that it is easier to be with me than it is to be with Kate,'' I question, and she shakes her head.
''There are good points and bad points to both of these relationships. As many times as we have kissed other people, and that has to stop, we would never sleep with anyone but each other,'' she stares into my eyes ,''My point is this: I love you, so please don't put yourself down. We're gonna make it. And if you decide that marriage is too much for you to handle, then okay. We can still be together. I need you to be comfortable, and then I can be comfortable.''
Maybe at some point my parents and a fight like Blair and I do: where it's heated and frustrating, and feels like the end. Except this time, it really was the end.
''I love you, too,'' I respond, rubbing my thumb over her engagement ring as Noah stirs awake.
''I've got him,'' Blair gently lifts him from me, kissing his chubby cheeks, ''Hi!Did you enjoy your sleep?''
She's right. I've spent most of our relationship hurting her as much as she hurt me, trying to prove that she's like Jordan and only wants to destroy me.
Yet she's willing to give up on a promise I made her- the engagement- if it will make me more comfortable to not marry her. I don't know why I spent so long trying to convince myself of what is so clearly obvious: she's the one.
And there's no one else.
RoryPOV-
''Wait,'' I set the pizza on the table, ''Explain it to me.''
Finn and Wendy are asleep, and Sugar's finally home from work.
''Okay, well,'' she's beaming, practically glowing ,''Starchild wants me to be his personal stylist for his New York part of the tour! And it's great, because I won't have to leave. Just help him out with his clothes for interviews and shows that he'll be doing. He doesn't want it to be too eccentric, but he wants it to reflect who he is. Mercedes recommended me.''
''That's great,'' I tell her honestly.
The last few months have been nothing but work, sleepless nights, crying and dirty diapers. Sometimes I wonder- without regretting it- why we got married so young.
Then, Finn or Wendy laughs, and I remember. And I know I don't want it any other way.
''So he's flying out here next week, and we'll get together and talk. It'll be in the afternoon, but before Dani's audition, so she'll watch them.''
''We're actually doing this,'' I get some plates down as I speak, ''And you'll be proud to know that I have finally decided my major for when I go back next fall.''
''And that would be?,'' she sets the salad on the table, grabbing the forks off of the counter.
''Music. I love it, and I could probably teach it at an elementary school.''
''That's great. I'm proud of you,'' she kisses me then, before moving away much too soon for my liking, '''What brought that decision on?''
''Honestly? Blaine.''
Looking back, he's the teacher that had the most influence on me. Inside and out of the choir room. And he's leading this year's glee club, with twenty members, too sectionals. He's already got three nationals trophies, and I have no doubt that he will lead them to another.
Because that glee club has what the other glee clubs competing against it don't: a leader who cares more about them than the competition.
If I can be half as good a teacher as he is, then I'll be happy.
''We've made it almost a year and a half,'' Sugar smiles ,''And we have two beautiful babies. You've finally picked a major you can be happy with, and I am going to be styling for one of the biggest names in music right now!''
It seems like we just started dating. So hard to believe that we began dating when I was fifteen and too afraid to ask her out.
I'm so glad I did. That was the best decision that I have ever made. Because, otherwise, I wouldn't be here. And I love my life, no matter how difficult things can get.
''I've got 've had them all day,'' Sugar stands,abandoning her dinner for the time being and going to get the twins as they begin to cry.
Ignoring her, I follow and pick up Wendy while she takes care of Finn.
We're a team, and we have to do this together. I know for a fact that's the only way Ryder and Blair are making it through this. He's dozed off at work on more than one occasion, and I know Blair is just as exhausted.
But I also know they are just perfect for raising a kid together, like Sugar and I are for raising Finn and Wendy.
''I love you,'' I tell my wife, even over the babies crying, as I begin to change Finn's diaper.
''I love you, too,''she smiles, grabbing Wendy's diapers ,''Always.''
Despite what it seems like to an outsider, we're not perfect. And I know it won't get too much easier, but I have Sugar to help me along the way.
And that's good enough for me.
KPOV-
''That was exhausting,'' Blaine exhales, laying next to me.
Jacob had been in a bad mood as it is, and the tantrum that Grace had didn't make it any better.
And it's exhausting getting a five year old and a two-year old to stop crying, especially when they're both grumpy for no good reason.
It didn't help that Jade's upset for reasons that it may take Blair to solve, and Liam has a broken arm and can't play football for the rest of the season. Blaine's trying to get twenty kids ready for the first show choir competition of the year, and I have several designs to turn in by the end of the week.
Okay, we're all in crapy moods.
''So someone called today,'' Blaine tells me, playing with the buttons on my shirt.
''Who,'' I ask, letting my eyes drift closed.
''Adam.''
Adam Crawford, who I haven't talked to in a while, purposely avoiding all forms of contact.
Because he crossed a line deliberately, and nearly made me ruin a good thing.
''What did he want,'' I ask, and Blaine shrugs.
''The usual: to talk to you, see if you want to meet up for coffee… you told me you'd stopped talking to him.''
''And I did, Blaine,'' I sigh, because I really don't want this to escalate into a fight. Not now.
''So he's just not getting the hint,'' Blaine asks, a hint of suspicion in his voice.
''Apparently not. And apparently you don't trust me,'' I move so I'm standing, beginning to undress.
''I trust you. It just seems odd to me that this guy doesn't get that you don't even have an interest in him as a friend. That usually happens when someone has been led on long enough,'' Blaine tosses his tie onto the nightstand, frustration as evident in his voice as it is in his movements.
''No. I know you're not blaming this all on me,'' I snap, and he shakes his head.
''I don't know, Kurt. It took you months to get it through your head that he has feelings for you. You didn't believe me at all,'' he reminds me.
''And you said you trusted me. Obviously, you never did.''
''I trust you, Kurt. You. Not him, or anyone else who would blatantly flirt with either one of us. We went through this with Chandler, and then with Adam.''
''How convenient of you to forget about Sebastian basically trying to hook up with you while I was less than a foot away,'' I laugh bitterly, and Blaine runs his hand through his hair in frustration.
Good. I want you to feel how I do right now.
''I'm not Andrew. I would never hurt you like that, and you know it!,'' Blaine's voice, like mine, gets angrier and louder by the minute.
He's been like this for a week now. Ever since he got off of the phone with Cooper, and his dad…
His dad.
Shit.
''And I'm not Chase,'' I take Blaine's face in my hands trying to calm him down, ''You know I love you. I would never hurt you. What put that stupid idea in that handsome head of yours, honey?''
He looks down with a heavy sigh, because he knows I know.
''I'm sorry. I shouldn't have accused you of cheating, or intending to cheat. That was stupid. And I love you, too.''
''Good,'' I kiss him ,''But that does not exactly answer my question, Blaine.''
''My dad. He's my dad, he shouldn't say that this isn't going to last,'' he huffs, obviously hurt and frustrated.
And I understand as much as I can. If my dad hadn't supported me, I honestly don't think I could have lasted this long.
Blaine was missing that for so many years, and now he's reliving it.
''Don't you dare listen to him, Blaine Anderson. No, we're not perfect. We fight, and sometimes it gets ugly. We argue about some really stupid shit sometimes. But this is who we are, okay? And we're good. Remember what you told me? Everything's going to be ours. I can have with you what I couldn't have with Andrew. You mean so much to me, and to our kids. Your dad is so wrong.''
The silence that follows is heavy, but not uncomfortable.
''I love you so freaking much, Kurt. Thank you. You've saved me again,'' he smirks, pressing a kiss to my shoulder ,''And, if the kids weren't home, I'd thank you properly. You'll just have to wait until Friday.''
''Right,'' I laugh as I kiss him, amazed by how quickly things can turn positive for the two of us ,''But we have to get some sleep. We have four kids to get to school tomorrow, and I have to work late, and you're tutoring three kids in English.''
When we're settled under the covers, Blaine lays his head on my shoulder, arm wrapped tight around me.
As lame as it sounds, this is when I feel safe. When his arms around me, and we've resolved our biggest issues. When I am so glad it didn't work out with Andrew.
Because as much as Blaine credits me for saving him, I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said he didn't save me from myself.
Rory/Kurt/Liam bonding in the next chapter, and things get heated.
Disclaimer- glee belongs to Fox and Ryan Murphy