"Kurt, we need to talk," Rachel declared, seconds after she put down the tray for their order onto the table. "As your friend it is my duty to prevent you from making, what I believe, is a terrible, horrible mistake."

Kurt waited until she had seated herself to respond. He had expected something like this from the moment when, rather wryly, Finn had come to his room to tell him that Rachel had not, as he had first assumed, shown up at their house to surprise him. Finn could only watch sheepishly as Kurt had been all but marched from his house into Rachel's car to the Lima Bean.

"What's this all about Berry," he inquired, popping a bite of his muffin into his mouth. "It's way too early for this to have anything to do with Sectionals. We haven't even found out the theme as yet."

"No," Rachel said pertly, "this isn't about our future altercation as enemies on opposite sides of the metaphorical floor, Kurt. This is about you and the decisions you are making with your life."

"Okay, then," Kurt said. "Tell me then, Miss Berry about my seeming errors."

"Are you, or are you not in the process of doing your college applications?"

"I am," he confirmed, "as I hope you are."

"I finished my application for NYADA long ago Kurt," she said pertly. "I submitted it the day applications opened."

"Congratulations," he said mildly. "Where else are you applying?"

Rachel gasped, that loud and appalled one that had caused Kurt to roll his eyes many a time back in the choir room. "There is no other place Kurt," she hissed, leaning forward. "I am going to NYADA. To apply to any other school would mean that I am doubtful of my dream, my destiny."

Kurt stared at her even as his mind raced. Was she that crazy or that vain? He recalled his freshmen year, newly friended to the soon to become insufferable Rachel Barbra Berry who had introduced him to the concept of NYADA, the elitist performing arts college in New York, that, for the musical theatre program, took only twenty students in a year. With those odds against her, Rachel seriously was only going to consider one school?

"Everyone needs a backup plan," he told her mildly, "and if you're set on New York, Tish has an awesome Theatre program as well."

"It's NYADA or nothing Kurt," she huffed, sitting back and folding her arms across her chest. "I thought you of all people would understand that."

"I've spent the past two years in what amounts to a college prep school Rachel," he reminded her. "Excuse me from looking at this from a rather practical approach."

"This is exactly why I brought you here Kurt," she said triumphantly, smacking her hand down on the table, "Finn told me that you were applying to colleges, and you're not applying to NYADA."

"Why would I?" Kurt asked honestly, "There's no way in hell they'd even consider me with this useless thing," he said, gesturing to his arm. "I'm being practical."

"You love the Theatre Kurt," Rachel pressed, "we were going to perform on Broadway together."

"That was a wonderful dream," Kurt allowed, not allowing his mind to dwell too long on the memories trying to arise. That was a bitter pill he had swallowed long ago and finally, but reluctantly digested. He didn't need to go back there. "It is a dream that no longer can become real. I have new things to strive for now."

"A journalism degree?" Rachel scoffed, "that's what you're aiming for? I couldn't believe it when Finn told me."

"There's nothing wrong with a journalism degree," he said mildly, "I've settled on studying that, fashion and communication. I've always loved fashion."

"You've given up Kurt," she snapped, her tone despairing. "You can't tell me that you've given up on acting."

"I have," Kurt told her firmly, "it's not feasible and I'm not going to waste my time aiming for the impossible. I've spent a long time trying to figure out where I wanted to go once Broadway was taken out of the picture. I can't draw anymore; my left hand just doesn't have the skills and no one knows how complete this recovery will be. So I'm going to go into the other things I'm good at. Most of the colleges I'm going to apply to facilitate linkages between their fashion program and their graphic designing ones. That's also a good option for me."

Rachel pursed her lips at him, a sure sign that she didn't agree with what he was saying but didn't really have any rebuttals to use. "You're only applying to schools in New York and its environs," she said next.

"I'll probably throw in Ohio State as a last option if I have the time," Kurt said with a shrug, "but yeah, I'm New York bound."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"If you're not going to go to NYADA why are you bothering with New York? Go to LA instead. Isn't the fashion industry better there?"

"Blaine's in New York," he said simply.

"And if Blaine was in LA would you have considered schools there?"

"Yes," he said simply, as if the answer should have been obvious.

"My point has been made!" she declared, and Kurt found himself grateful that at this point in the day, the shop was mostly empty, otherwise other patrons would have been complaining about her.

"And what's this point?"

"You're only going to New York because of him. He's probably the one who convinced you against applying to NYADA. Just because he decided to abandon the stage for a business degree -"

"Blaine's going to declare a joint minor in music and performance art," Kurt interrupted, but Rachel pressed on, ignoring him.

"You've decided to tailor your dreams to his. Kurt, as you friend and a thorough professional, I need to tell you that you're wrong. You cannot let something as simple as love affect the decisions you make Kurt. Love is beautiful, but it's plainly clear to me that your relationship with Blaine is deluding you to reality. You need to be prepared to sacrifice for what you want, and if Blaine is pressuring you into attending NYU just to be with him then I think you need to reconsider this entire relationship of yours. There's a time and a place for everything, love including, and in this, our senior year, love should be the furthest things on our mines."

Kurt looked at her, his eyes icy as he processed her words. "What are you going to do about Finn then," he asked darkly. "Is he holding you back?"

"I had this conversation with Finn already after Nationals last year. I told him that is there was ever a time he became too much of a liability, I would have to end our relationship for the sake of my future career."

"You called my brother a liability?" Kurt said, his tone level. Finn had certainly not told him that titbit, and definitely not their parents either or else there was no way in hell Rachel would have been let back into their house. "Told him that you'd leave him at any time?"

"I did," she confirmed, "There is nothing I will not do to ensure my future Broadway success. You should be thinking the same way."

"I rather lose everything I have and live in a cardboard box in an alley way if it meant that Blaine was right there besides me," Kurt told her. "I would not give up Blaine for anything in the world, anything, even my career. That is obviously something you cannot understand. You're the one who's delusional Rachel, not me, and if this is truly how you feel I suggest you break up with Finn now and spare him the fucking heartbreak later. Not that that is going to happen because I am going to have quite a conversation with him once I get home myself."

"I've said nothing wrong," Rachel defended.

"And that's the scary part. You don't even understand how screwed up what you're saying is. Are we done here Rachel? I really just want to go home."

"You're making a big mistake," Rachel reiterated.

"Sure, whatever you say," Kurt grated out, rising, "just take me home now will you?" I have a conversation that needs to be had immediately, he added to himself.

His wry amusement at the intricate workings of his brother's relationship had now completely faded. He needed to get him out and over Rachel as soon as possible for his own sake.