A/N: I swear that I posted this chapter already, but it's gone! Maybe I hallucinated the entire thing. Anyway, here we go, you guys may want to enjoy the calm before the storm….

Kurt POV

Finn and I sat together in the empty classroom for what felt like forever. I had wisely disentangled myself from his arms before we could get caught, even though I wanted nothing more then to knock him to the floor and let him know exactly how much I liked his gesture. Instead I sat on a desk across from him and leaned back on my arms, my feet on his desk. He mimicked the gesture, though, of course, his legs were much longer then mine. For once, even he was quiet, just absorbing the atmosphere.

There wasn't much to say between us, and somehow I fell into a half doze, hypnotized by the semi-dark room and Finn's soft breathing. I was so out of it that I squealed like a girl and fell off the desk when Mercedes opened the door.

She looked at me on the floor, then at Finn, who looked way too amused by the whole thing, before clearing her throat. "What are you two doing?"

She made the entire situation seem far dirtier then it was, though I'm sure my furious blushing didn't help matters. Finn hopped down and delicately lifted me to my feet. "Thinking about stuff. Except I think Kurt was asleep. I assume you want him for now?"

Something was going on here, something I didn't quite understand. I only got more confused when she gave him a megawatt smile and rushed over to kiss him on the cheek. "Do you mind?"

"Nah, Mom's coming to pick me up pretty soon anyway." He gave me a long, searching look, like he wished he could give me a kiss, or at least say something nice. "Kurt, are you coming to get me tomorrow?"

"Don't I always?" Well, at least for the past two days. Funny, it already felt like a perfectly normal routine.

"I guess so. I'll see you then. Mercedes, I'll see you tomorrow, ok?" He stretched his arms up over his head and walked towards the door. As he reached it, he stole a quick glance to make sure Mercedes wasn't looking, then quickly signed 'precious' and left the room.

There was brief moment when I thought I might swoon. Luckily, Mercedes was there to yank me back to reality by flinging her arms around my neck. "Oh my God, Kurt, you will never guess what happened!"

Never in my life had I seen her so excited, not even when she found out that some of the designer stores in the mall carried plus sizes. "Mercedes, did you finally kill Rachael? Because I am not dressed for body disposal."

"Even better!"

"Mr. Shue gave you the ballad for Sectionals?" I was rapidly running out of ideas.

"Not yet, but I'm sure he will. Unless he lets you have it instead." She was practically bursting with excitement, and I didn't have the heart to tell her that I wasn't getting the ballad. Not because Mr. Shue didn't think I could do it, but because 'Defying Gravity' didn't fit the technical definition of a ballad. He did tell me that sometimes there was room in the program for a solo, though, and I was welcome to try out for that.

"I have no idea, tell me."

She took a deep breath. "I have a date!"

"What!" My voice rose into a squeak. How in the world had she found someone in the few minutes Finn and I had been alone? "Who?"

She smiled shyly. "Sean. You know, the head of the Haverbrook Glee club? He asked me out as soon as you and Finn left. See, I told you I could get a beautiful black man with huge hands! He came over to me, and he said my name, and he gave me a note asking if I would go out with him this Saturday!"

So that was what Finn and Sean had been doing together. "Go, girl! You're going to let me pick out your outfit, right?"

"Well…" She paused there, gathering her courage. "Actually, I was hoping that you could come along."

I might be ignorant about dating, but I was pretty sure that bringing your best friend along was an etiquette faux pas. "I think that it's just supposed to be you and him."

Her dark eyes rolled. "No, not just you. Sean thought that maybe it could be a double date. You and Finn, him and me." She squeezed my shoulder. "Please, Kurt? I don't want to screw things up."

"Wait, you told him about Finn and I?" I couldn't believe that she would do that. "Mercedes, it's supposed to be secret!"

"Some secret. With the way the two of you are suddenly looking at each others, everyone's going to know by the Thursday. And, no, I didn't tell him. I just told him that I had a friend who was in a new relationship, and maybe we could make it a double date. That way you can take Finn out, but we can go to their town, so no one here knows."

It was a pretty clever plan, almost like something I would come up with. The thought of being able to go out in public with Finn, to be able to hold his hand and give him a kiss goodnight without everyone staring was intoxicating. It couldn't be that easy, though, it never was for me. "Did you happen to mention to Sean that your friend was a guy, who's dating another guy? Because that might be an important detail." I was not going to have my first date ruined when her new boyfriend freaked out.

She blanched. "No, I didn't think of that. I can call him tonight, but only if you agree to go. Come on, it'll be fun."

I narrowed my eyes. "And if he makes a big deal about me being with a guy?"

"If he makes a big deal about it, I'll kick him in the balls for you and dump him before the date. No one messes with my boys and gets away with it."

I didn't miss the fact that Finn was now included as one of her boys. She had always liked him, though she would always take my side over his, but she had never gone as far as to say it out loud. "Let me talk to Finn about it first, alright?"

She smiled again. "Alright. I'm going to say goodbye to Sean, and, if you hurry, you can probably catch Finn."

I gave her a tight hug. "See, you didn't need me to get you a man at all. Congratulations, Mercedes."

"You didn't really need me either, but it's nice to have someone to go on double dates with, isn't it?"

I could take a hint. "Alright, I'll let you know later tonight, ok?"

My heart was in my throat as I raced across the school grounds, looking for Finn. I had almost given up hope when I saw him sitting on one of one of the planted ledges, his eyes closed and his face tipped up to get the last of the setting sun. He looked so incredibly happy that I almost didn't want to disturb him. While I was debating the matter, he sensed my presence and looked up. "Hey, Spider Monkey."

I jumped up and sat down next to him. "Finn, there's something I would like to ask you." My voice was too formal, the way it always got when I was nervous.

"Sure, what's up?" He scooted a little closer to me.

"Mercedes has a date-"

He cut me off. "Really? Sean was kind of worried that she would say no, since he's deaf and all. He wanted some advice, but I'm still not sure how I got you, so I didn't know what to tell him."

"She wants us to go on a double date with her and Sean this Saturday." Well, when all else fails, you can always just blurt it out.

He didn't want to, I could tell. It was the way he drew away from me, just a tiny bit, and he suddenly became very interested in his sneakers. Desperation seized me, and I touched his shoulder. "Please, Finn?

"Ok, sure."

Wait, that was it? He wasn't going to throw a big tantrum, wasn't going to fuss, wasn't going to do anything but agree with me? "Are you sure?"

He leaned back affectionately. "Well, it's pretty obvious that it's important to you, so sure."

"But I thought this was supposed to be a huge secret and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone, even Mercedes!" Why was Finn always so confusing? I had no idea why I was attempting to argue against my own interests, but it frustrated me not to understand what was going on.

"Well, yeah, it is, but I'm sure that you already have something figured out. You're really smart like that. Ooh, maybe we could go in disguises! But anyway, I thought you said that Mercedes already knew."

His faith in me and my abilities was incredibly touching. "She does, even though I didn't tell her."

"I know that. I shouldn't have yelled at you about it before. I mean, I know that chicks have this weird radar mind-reading thing going on, where they know exactly what you did wrong even before you say anything. Anyway, I guess its ok for Mercedes to know, since she's like your best friend and all."

"The date would be in his town, not Lima. No one would recognize us, and we wouldn't have to wear disguises, though it wouldn't hurt to let me pick out your outfit. Matching clothes and pants instead of jeans would be enough of a camouflage for you."

"Yeah, I care deeply about you, too." He smiled and cuffed me lightly.

It didn't escape my notice that Finn had never directly told me that he loved me. That I was precious, yes. That he cared deeply about me, just now. That he liked my eyes and my smile and the fact that I was willing to put out for him, certainly. But not that he loved me.

He's gun shy. I'll bet he told Quinn how much he loved her every day, that he would love her forever, and look how that turned out. Maybe he can't bring himself to say the words, yet, but his actions are telling a different story. Dumbass.

Galinda almost always had to add some snark to her comments. "Well, I didn't tell her yes or no, because I wanted to ask you first. Plus, he doesn't know that we're both guys. Mercedes was going to tell him that so we could avoid an ugly scene later."

"He won't care, I'm pretty sure." Finn straightened up. "Mom's here, but I have one last question."

"Ask away." Was he going to ask when we would be a real couple, in public? Or how Mercedes had found out about him and I? Did he want to know when I was going to tell Dad about us?"

"Well, I was just wondering. When two dudes go on a date, who pays for stuff? I always paid for Quinn, but are there, like, different rules when it's two guys?"

It was such an innocuous question that I burst into laughter. It was sometimes hard for me to remember that Finn was a very much 'in the moment' sort of guy. He would worry about telling people, including my father, when he had to. Right now, his main concern was our date. "I don't know. Maybe we each pay for our own?"

"No, that isn't it. If it's a real date, someone pays for both." He jumped down landing easily on his feet, then put out a hand to assist me. I didn't actually need the help, but I did like having my hand in his. "How about you be my pretty lady for the night?"

I gave him my coldest look, even as a smile tried to break through. "Finn Hudson, I refuse to be your, or anyone else's, pretty lady! If you want a girl, go find one."

He gave me that easy smile, my irritation rolling of his back like it was nothing. "Ok then, you pay. I'll be the pretty lady for the evening." A car horn honked, and he turned away. "Bye Dude, see you tomorrow."

There were times when I was jealous of Finn. Sometimes it was simple little things, like when his mother gave him a hug or kiss, or when I compared his bone structure to mine, and sometimes it was bigger things. Right now, I was jealous of his ability to accept things and move on, rather then endlessly dwelling on them like I did. So I snapped at him, big deal. There must have been some little sign that I wasn't really angry, so there was no reason for him to be upset. If I had been hooked up with anyone else, there probably would have been a fight right there and no date on Friday.

I didn't know how to say that though, so I settled for giving him a tight hug, not caring if anyone saw. He squeezed me back happily. "You give really good hugs."

I could have said the same thing about him. Finn hugged just like he did everything else: big and enthusiastic. It made me feel completely safe, which I didn't feel very often. "Tomorrow, Cowboy."

He seemed reluctant to let me go, but Carol honked again and he released. Her eyes met mine and she blew me a kiss through the windshield. I felt my face break into a huge smile, the kind that I usually saved for Finn. True, Carol Hudson had horrendous fashion sense, just like her son, but she kind of grew on you.

I watched them pull away, barely resisting the urge to chase after him like a dog. God I was getting pathetic.

Yes you are. But it's alright to be a little pathetic the first time you fall in love. Now, if you're still like this six months from now, I reserve the right to give you a mental ass kicking.

Deal. I waited until I saw Mike, then walked back to my baby with him. I might be head over heels in love right now, but I wasn't going to get so distracted that I walked around campus alone. It would be the kiss of death if the hockey team caught me.

I spent the entire drive home thinking about Finn and what had happened today. Not only was I going on my very first official date, with the boy I had been chasing for what felt like forever, but I was getting to bring Mercedes and her date along, and I could choose outfits for both of us. Yeah, life was good.

Still, I couldn't help feeling like it was all too much, too soon. Things never went this well for me, ever. It wasn't that I doubted Finn, I was pretty sure that he was incapable of this sort of deception. No, Finn's feelings were genuine. It was just that Mercedes' words from earlier kept bouncing around in my head, telling me that neither Finn or I was being careful, and we were going to get caught. Then this was all going to come crashing down around us.

Would that be so bad? Kurt, everyone already knows that you're gay, you don't hide it very well. Would you really deny yourself a real relationship just because you don't want to give them the satisfaction of being able to say 'I told you so?' You have the perfect opportunity for one of those over the top gestures that you think so highly of, why not take advantage of it? Because, let me tell you, Finn might be slow, but even he is going to eventually start wondering why you're so ashamed of him.

I wasn't ashamed of him! I wasn't ashamed of either one of us, or what we had together. It was just that I wanted to protect both of us from the inevitable hatred that would follow emerging as a couple.

No, you want to protect yourself. You're afraid that when Finn realizes what he's going to have to deal with, and how much more shit he's going to have to take from everyone, he's going to decide that you aren't worth it and go back to Rachael. And guess what? He might. But if he does, isn't it better to find out now, rather then later?

Yes. No. Maybe? If Finn backed out now, it would hurt. If he backed out later, after we had taken things further, it would probably kill me. But was it wrong to want to delay the inevitable for just a little longer? Just one date where the only people who knew were him, me, Mercedes and her date. After all, Finn seemed happy enough with things the way they were, and if we were both happy, did it really matter?

I'll give you that point. But don't you think there's someone else who should know about Finn? Someone who's out of the loop? Someone like your father?

Honestly, I found the thought of my father being disappointed in me far more disturbing then I did the thought of having the rest of the school find out. He so seldom asked me for anything, and he had specifically told me to leave Finn alone. He had already admitted that he was having trouble with the entire concept of his son liking men, and finding out that his son was now dating the son of the woman he was dating might give him some sort of stroke. No, it was better that he not know for now.

But you want him to.

The voice was soft, tender, and right. I loved my father with everything I had, and I wanted him to be alright with this. No, I needed him to be. I wanted it to be just like when I confessed everything, and he had reached out to hug me and told me that he still loved me, even if he wasn't nuts about the idea. I just…I just had to know.

So tell him. People are still calling the garage, and do you really want him to find out from some anonymous caller? Or from Carol? Or some stranger? Be brave, Kurt, you owe him that much.

I did, and there wasn't any getting around it. I would tell him tonight, at dinner. Or after dinner, that would be just as good. Maybe right before bed. Actually, it might be better if I waited until tomorrow morning, just so I didn't ruin his sleep.

You'll tell him at dinner, and you'll be brave about it. Don't whine, don't whimper, and for Gods sake, don't start crying this time. You have nothing to be ashamed of.

I knew that, but it didn't do anything to get rid of the sick rolling in my stomach. I had planned on making soup and sandwiches for dinner, but maybe I would be better off making something better, something he really liked. Then he would be in a good mood for when I told him about Finn and I. If I stopped at the store on the way home, I still had time to make a pot roast, which was one of his favorites.

A peace offering? Good idea.

One quick stop at the grocery store later, I had everything I needed and was putting the meal together. It gave me something to focus on besides my nerves, even if my trembling hands nearly caused me to cut myself twice as I sliced the potatoes. Once everything was in the oven, there was nothing left for me to do but start on my homework and wait anxiously for the sound of my father's car.

I read the same page of my English assignment over and over, not retaining anything. Biology was even worse, and I didn't even bother trying math. Normally I took pride in completing my work perfectly, but I just couldn't focus. I wanted Finn to be here, trying to distract me from working, and reminding me that I was all stressed out over nothing.

Almost before I realized what I was doing, I had my cell phone out and was dialing Finn's number. It rang and rang, and I was about to give up when he picked up. "Hey, what's up?"

Just the familiar sound of his voice worked wonders to loosen the knot in my stomach. "Nothing, I guess. I just really wanted to hear your voice."

"Doesn't sound like nothing. I don't have real long to talk, since Mom and I are almost at the therapy place, so tell me quick. Did Karofsky do something to you?"

"No. I'm home and I'm alright." I took a deep breath, trying to keep from just bursting into tears. "I want to tell my father about you and me."

"So tell him. Dude, I didn't mean that it had to be a secret from him." Finn didn't seem to understand why I was so torn.

"It's not that. It's just that…" I couldn't bring myself to finish the sentence.

"Just that what?" Finn's voice was probing, but not intrusive. He knew that I would tell him eventually, since, after all, I had called him about it.

"I don't want him to hate me." The words clogged in my throat, threatening to choke me.

"He won't." Finn sounded completely confident, which was exactly what I had been hoping for. He was such an eternal optimist that he made everyone else feel better also.

"How can you be so sure?" I was whining now, practically begging for him to comfort me, but I needed this right now.

"Well, he loves you and he wants you to be happy. I make you happy don't I?"

In Finn's mind, it really was that simple. Despite everything that had happened with Puck and Quinn, he actually believed in the basic goodness of people. "Of course you do."

"So don't be nervous. Just tell him that you met someone, but don't tell him who it is, just in case he, like, goes crazy and wants to hunt me down with a shotgun. Cause I'm pretty sure Quinn's dad wanted to at first. See how he takes it, then let him know it's me." He paused to take a breath. "Or maybe do tell him it's me. I think he actually likes me, and Mr. Fabray didn't, at least according to Quinn. Whatever you think, he's your dad and you know him best."

Those words made everything click into place. I did know my father, even if we didn't quite understand each other, and he had never been anything but supportive of me in all of my various and strange endeavors. New confidence surged up. "Thanks, Finn."

"No problem. I'm good at giving pep talks. After all, I have to convince the worst football team in Ohio to get out there every week and at least try, don't I?"

He had a point. "Yes, you do. I'll let you go, and I'll see you first thing tomorrow, alright?"

"I guess." I could hear the disappointment in his voice, and it almost made me laugh.

"Or maybe I could call you right before bed." It was a strange and almost frightening feeling to have someone who wanted to hear my voice all the time, even if I was just saying goodnight.

I swear, I could almost hear that lopsided grin through the phone. "That would be even better. Don't worry so much, ok?"

A low rumble told me that the garage door was going up, and I cringed slightly. "Dads home, good luck in therapy."

"Good luck with him." Finn disconnected the call before I could say anything more.

"I love you." The words were whispered into the dead connection. Maybe one day soon I would have the courage to say them to his face.

Dad tossed the door open and came in, grumbling under his breath about intolerant people. My stomach dropped. In Lima, intolerant people could only mean one thing: he was getting phone calls about me again. "Hi, Dad."

The furious mutterers stopped instantly, and I knew that we would both pretend that I had never heard them. Dishonest, yes, but just one of the little things we did to get ourselves through another day. "Hi, Kurt, did you make dinner? You know you don't have to when you have practice."

Between Glee and football, I was at practice five days a week. If I didn't make some attempt to feed us, we would eat nothing but fast food and pot pies, and I would weigh 300lbs and Finn wouldn't like me any more.

Of course he would. More cushion for the pushin'! If you ever let it get that far, that is.

Had she really just brought up sex with my father less then 5 feet away? He gave me a look, eyebrows raised, and I had to mentally backtrack on the conversation. "Oh, yeah, I know, but I wanted to make you something special."

He gave me a grin and a gruff shoulder pat. "You're a good son. I'm going to go take a shower and then we can eat."

That sealed it, I wasn't telling him. If I told him, he might never look at me like this again, like he was proud to have me, for once, rather then happy to have me, but secretly wishing I was someone else.

Oh yes you are. Either you tell him right now, or I'll make you do it!

I snorted at that thought. How could a little voice in my head make me do anything I didn't want to? I was in full control of my body, including my voice box, and Galinda could just shut the hell up.

Fine, you asked for it. So, remember when you brought home the permission slip for Glee, and you were terrified to show it to your father, but you couldn't sing without it? You worried yourself sick for three days, but when you finally gave it to him, all he did was look for a pen and say 'you always did love singing and dancing'?

Yes, I remembered that, but this was a lot bigger then a permission slip.

Or how about right after your mother died, and you were terrified to sleep in your own bed because you thought her ghost might come and get you, too, and he let you sleep in his bed for more then six months? I don't recall him complaining when he had to go to bed at 8pm, because that was your bedtime and you couldn't sleep alone?

That I had forgotten. Of course, everything surrounding my mothers death was a little blurry now, but now that Galinda brought it up, I did remember my father having to sleep with a worried, squirmy 8 year old night after night. But what did that have to do with my current situation?

What about Riverdance? How many years has he let you drag him to a show he doesn't understand and has no interest in, just so you can admire the male dancers?

Now that wasn't true. I wasn't going only so I could admire the male dancers, though I had to admit it was a large part of why I kept wanting to go back. I was just impressed with the way they were perfectly in sync with each other, and the sheer athleticism of it all. I was starting to get where Galinda was going with all of this.

I seem to remember just a few months ago, when you knew you had to tell him the truth, and you were pretty sure you were going to pass out or throw up before you could get the words out, but you did it, and all he did was put his arms around you and tell you how much he loved you? Is this any more terrifying then that?

I guessed not. I would tell him because I had to, and because the thought of lying to him any longer was tearing me up inside. I wanted Finn, I was pretty sure that I loved Finn, and I wanted to be able to proudly say 'yes, this is my boyfriend'. Maybe not to everyone, just yet, but at least to my father. I would tell him tonight, at dinner.

See? I told you I could make you tell him.

"Oh, shut up you uppity whore." I set the table quickly, pouring myself some milk and setting out a glass for my father. He usually took milk, too, but after my confession, he might want something a little bit (or a lot) stronger.

Dad came down as I was cutting the meat, and took over for me. I tried to protest, but he just smiled and reminded me that I had made the meal, and there was no reason for me to serve it, too. He made my plate with just the right amount of meat, and a spoonful of carrots, but not potatoes, which were starchy and caused weight gain, before giving me two slices of French bread and a little bit of butter. "There you go, made the fussy Kurt Hummel way."

He was in a good mood, and that gave me additional courage. "Thank you."

Dad was full of stories about his day, thought I noticed that he kept away from whatever had been upsetting him when he first came in. I don't know why he bothered, when we both knew the truth. I listened attentively, though, and asked questions at all the right times. I would help out at the garage during winter break, so I needed to know some of this stuff.

After 10 minutes or so, he trailed off. "So, you've been awfully quiet tonight. Did something happen at school today?"

I nodded, picking at a carrot. Despite Galinda's earlier admonishment, I could feel tears threatening before I even spoke. He stood and reached out, gently lifting my chin. "What happened? Are those boys picking on you again? Because if they are, I have no problem going back to that school and-"

"They aren't picking on me." That wasn't quite true, but there wasn't much my father could do about the situation. Unless a teacher actually caught them harassing me, it was my word against theirs, and they were as clever as rats when it came to not being caught. "I, well, I have a date this Saturday."

"You do? With a guy? Well, that's great. A little unexpected, but this is a good thing, right? Who is he?"

This was the part I was dreading. He wasn't going to be so happy when he found out it was his girlfriend's son. "Finn Hudson."

He made a noise in the back of this throat, like he was trying not to choke. "Finn Hudson? The same Finn Hudson you were supposed to be getting over?"

My bitch rose. "Well, clearly I shouldn't be getting over him, because we're going on a date whether you like it or not!"

Luckily, my father has been through much worse tantrums then this, and knows how to take it in stride. "Kurt, I didn't say you shouldn't do whatever makes you happy. If you want to go on a date with Finn, then go on a date with Finn. But you have to admit, this is a little sudden. I mean, it was just Sunday that you first talked about him at all and…" He trailed off and gave me an evil look. "And I'm guessing that you asked me for advice after the fact? Kurt, are you having sex with that boy?"

Suddenly Finn's wailing from last night about how humiliating it was to have Carol ask him the same thing made a lot more sense. "No! God, Dad, all gay men aren't whores!"

To his credit, Dad didn't back down at the dreaded G world. "I don't care what gay men do. You, however, are a teenager and my responsibility and if you do decide to have sex, you need to be safe and ready. That does not include sleeping with him after a week."

I took a deep, cleansing, breath. "I am not sleeping with him, Dad, I promise. I'm not ready for that. But is it wrong to want to go out with him?"

He sat back down. "No, you're right. It just seems like Finn has no idea what he wants, and I don't want to see you get hurt. But you're a big boy and you need to have some normal experiences. Just…how about I leave some money in your room, and you can use it to buy whatever you need for sex? Don't tell me about it, and don't let him make you do anything you don't want to."

I poked the same carrot again. "That would be good. Can we maybe never talk about sex again, though?"

"Yeah, I think that would be a good thing." He picked up his glass and took a large gulp. "So, where are you going with him and what will you be doing?"

"Uh, I really don't know. Mercedes got a date, and she wanted to make it a double, but her new boyfriend is going to choose the place. He's deaf, and I guess it would be kind of hard for us to go to a movie or something. But I'll call you and let you know where we'll be."

He relaxed a little, seeming pleased that there would be two other people there and Finn and I wouldn't spend the entire time naked. Then he grimaced. "Also, don't go to O'Charleys for dinner, because that's where I'm taking his mother and that might ruin the night for all four of us."

Ah, O'Charleys. Lima's finest dining experience. For the discerning palate, we also have an Olive Garden.

"You aren't mad at me?" I hated that, after everything we had been through together, I was still unable to just accept his love for me.

"Of course not. I just want everyone to be happy, and not feel rushed. I remember what it's like to be sixteen and think that every relationship is the One."

"So you don't hate me?" Tears had welled up in my eyes and were threatening to spill over.

"Kurt, there is nothing in this world that you could do to make me hate you, alright? You could flunk out of school, you could mess things up with Finn, you could ruin my relationship with Carol, shit, you could kill someone, and I would still love you. I know I'm not very good at showing it, but I do love you more than anyone on this planet, so don't doubt that."

"I love you, too, Dad." I looked down so he wouldn't see me cry.

He bit his lip uncertainly, then came over and wrapped an arm around my chest, giving me a quick squeeze. He so seldom touched me that I didn't want him to let go. I crossed both of my arms over his, effectively trapping him. He didn't say anything, but he laid his free hand on my shoulder. "I couldn't love anyone any more than I do you, and I don't wish you were different, even for a second."

It was exactly what I had been needing him to say and do, even if I was just now realizing that fact. As long as I believed that his words were true, I could let go of the jealousy I still felt when I thought about him touching Finn, and I could more easily accept Carol as a part of our lives now, even if I couldn't accept her as a mother. I held on for a second more, then released his arm.

He gently squeezed my shoulder before letting go completely. "I like it when we understand each other."

"Me too."