A/N: When I started writing this fic, it was with the intention that I'd be giving bits and pieces of a full story rather than writing every detail down. I didn't want to get so caught up in the details that it made it difficult to write. So, in keeping with that spirit, we're skipping ahead a couple of months from the events of the last chapter to where this one starts. Thank you all for reading, and especially to those of you who have left reviews; your words have served as valuable motivation to help me make progress on this fic, and I appreciate your patience with my slow updates. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

He's not sure how he ever managed to convince himself there was any chance this would work.

They've been going to therapy, sure. Kurt has barely spoken, Blaine doing most of the talking and Kurt only chiming in when the therapist asks him a question, and god the way she looks at him. Like she's disappointed in him.

But then, of course she is.

Eventually their time is up, and they leave with her reassurance they can try again the next week, and each time Kurt has never wanted to do anything less.

This time, though, is different.

This time, she's not sure if this is the right fit for them.

Blaine tells her they'll think about it.

The trip back to the house is quiet, Blaine breaking the silence only when they've finally crossed the threshold and closed the door behind them.

"You know, this isn't going to work if you don't at least try."

Of course.

"I am trying," he says quietly. He knows it's not really true; or at least, not true enough for what Blaine wants. What Blaine needs.

"Sitting down in a room with the therapist for an hour a week and barely saying a word isn't trying, Kurt." He sounds actually angry, and it throws Kurt a little, because anger isn't an emotion that Blaine usually wears.

"Well I don't know what else you expected from me," he responds, words harsher than he intends.

"I expected you to try!" His voice is raised, not quite a yell but it's as close as Kurt has heard to one in a long time.

"You already knew this wouldn't work!" Kurt's voice pitches higher in response.

"Well I'm sorry if I thought this time would be different," Blaine scoffs, running a hand haphazardly through his hair.

"We've tried this before, why would it be different this time around?"

"Oh I don't know, Kurt, maybe because you told me you would try. It's like you don't even care." Blaine lets out a small, hysterical laugh as he turns to head down the hall.

"Of course I care!" Kurt yells after him. "It has taken everything I have this past year just to hold it together, don't you dare tell me that I don't care," he continues, and then his voice drops low and quiet: "Don't you dare tell me that I'm not trying."

"To hold what together, Kurt? This? Us? Because if you haven't noticed, this is not what together is supposed to look like." Blaine's voice is icy, and it's a tone that Kurt is not sure he's ever heard come from his husband's lips in their entire history. Not directed toward himself, at least.

"God, Blaine, I don't know what else you want from me! I have been trying, so hard, but every time I look at you all I can see is her! How am I supposed to deal with that?"

"Maybe with therapy!"

"Blaine, I am telling you, that is not going to–"

"Then we'll get a different therapist! Jesus, Kurt, do you even want things to get better?"

"Of course I want things to get better. There's just so much, everywhere I look, this whole house, you, it's all her, how am I supposed to move on like that?"

"Why are you still here, then?" Blaine asks, his voice now deadly calm.

"What?" Kurt blinks, caught off-guard by the sudden change in tone.

"If you want to forget about her, why are you here? Why are we even still together? Why don't we just get a divorce, then you can leave and forget all about her."

"Blaine," Kurt exhales, voice breaking on the name. "I love you, I don't want–"

"Well, sometimes that's not enough, is it?"

Kurt just stares back at him, not sure what to say. It's not like he's never considered this possibility, he has, but hearing it aloud like this, from Blaine's mouth, well…

"I think you should go," Blaine says, crossing his arms across his chest, and it looks more like he's doing it to hold himself together than out of anger now.

"Blaine," Kurt tries, not really sure how else to argue but knows he needs to say something.

"Please," Blaine pleads, voice breaking around the syllable, and Kurt can tell he's on the verge of tears. "Before I say something I can't take back."

Kurt is silent for a moment, watching his husband. His husband, who he's been through so much with.

His husband, who just asked him to leave.

He meant it when he said he loves Blaine. It may not be in the way he needs, but it's there and it's love and if Kurt ever doubted it, it's making itself abundantly clear now as his heart cracks open in his chest.

And Blaine, well, he deserves better than Kurt. Kurt supposes he should just be thankful it took this long for Blaine to realize it.

"Okay," he says quietly. "Just let me get a few things first."

Blaine nods stiffly, and Kurt pads past him, toward the bedroom they share, to pack himself a bag.