Must Have Done Something Right, a Glee fiction

I do not own Glee or Relient K. Leave reviews and prompts!

All my life I've been searching for you. How did I survive in this world before you? (The Best Thing)

Wes and David are trying not to fall asleep as their girlfriends go on about spa treatments. Finn passes by their booth, headed towards the bathroom. They excuse themselves from the table. In the bathroom they corner Finn.

"So you're Kurt's brother. I'm Wes, and this here is David." He leans against the wall between two urinals.

Finn shifts to finish his business. As he's zipping his fly he turns to them. "Yeah, I've heard of you. He really likes Dalton Academy."

"Or a certain somebody at Dalton." Wes follows him to the sinks so he can wash his hands. Finn raises an eyebrow in confusion.

"We ship Klaine." David clarifies. He smacks the button on the hand dryer for him.

"Is that expensive? Cause one time I bought a video game online with my mom's credit card and it was pretty expensive." He rubs his hands on his pants and heads out the door.

Wes and David share a look. David looks to Finn incredulously. "Klaine is a porte manteau for Kurt and Blaine."

At this point they are passing by the table that seats the both of them reading over a menu together. Finn, not noticing his brother behind the menu comments. "I bet Kurt and Blaine aren't light to ship."

Kurt slams the menu down on the table. "Did you just call me fat?"

Finn stops in his tracks. He stumbles over his words, the other two Warblers at the table looking on amused.

"No. Everybody knows that you don't pack light. You're like a girl." Kurt's eyes narrow. Blaine rests an comforting hand over his. "Oh, no I mean you pack a lot of clothes and skin care products and – I'm going to go see if my meal came yet."

He walks away at an awkwardly fast pace. Rachel's eyes follow him as he sits back down with Quinn. Wes and David stay still, not sure whether it's best to explain or hurry back to conversations about fake nails and under eye circles. Kurt's eyes remain locked on them. His look reads that he isn't pleased.

Wes and David spend the rest of Valentine's day discussing seaweed wraps.

I strive towards infinity though sometimes I don't know what to do. (Balloon Ride)

Blaine sits against the edge of the ivory keys, inhibiting Brad's hand from reaching the high note of the song. He looks at him pointedly, stopping the song. Rachel had given it to him this morning with expectations to have it ready by practice. He had witnessed her angry before. It wasn't something he wanted to get involved with. He wasn't one to raise his voice. He didn't use his voice much at all actually. He just took the sheet from the diva of the moment and played. Opinions were kept locked inside his head. It didn't matter if he thought that Santana's voice would sound better with the lead than Rachel's or if he thought Mercedes should go back out with Sam, because he was there to play. To play and sit and smile. And now there's a boy sitting next to him on the bench and he wants to elbow him off and finish playing the piece because he desperately needs to go to the bathroom but hates to leave things unfinished.

If only he could get him to move an inch to the right. Blaine bends forward to find something in his bag and Brad seizes the opportunity to strike the high note and resume playing.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to block the keys." He pulls a small box from his bag.

Brad nods acceptance to his apology. The last note is played, and he wants to get up, but it seems rude to leave the kid sitting there alone. He scoots to the left. Blaine takes it as an invitation to move closer. "I need advice. I figured you wouldn't tell anybody so it'd be safe to ask you."

He waits for some sort of response. Brad nods, so he finds it safe to continue.

"I got Kurt a present for Christmas." He lifts the lid of the box to reveal a candy wrapper ring. A promise ring. "Do you think it's too much? I mean, we've both told each we love each other, but I don't want him to freak out or anything."

He thinks about it. He's seen a lot of couples in this room. But none of them are quite like these two. Secretly he roots for them from behind his piano. Last night Perfect came on the radio and his eyes started to water at the memories of the recent performance. He remembers how Santana made fun of their bow ties. How he wanted badly to dig around in his box of high school mementos and find his old bow tie. The one that he wore to senior prom when he proposed to his pregnant girlfriend. The one where she turned him down and ran off with the student teacher she had been dating behind his back. The one that got her pregnant in the first place. He was willing to fish out the bow tie and reintroduce all those old feelings into his life for them.

He shakes his head. No, it's not too much. In his mind it's more perfect than what he did. He blew it. He bought a diamond ring for a seventeen year old girl. One that wasn't in love with him. It wasn't a candy wrapper ring from one boy in love to another.

It wasn't fate.

"It's perfect."

Blaine leaps up suddenly, enveloping Brad in his arms. He realizes that he had said that out loud. Probably the most words he's said in this room. He clears his throat. Blaine lets go and leaves to find Kurt.

Later that afternoon Brad finds a candy cane resting on his bench. To Brad, from Blaine.

I am going to wear a pink tux to the prom. Live without a care, what could possibly go wrong? (In Love with the 80s)

"Are you completely out of your mind?" Kurt steps into the changing room of the tux rental shop. Blaine turns away from the mirror.

"I've been thinking. You wore a kilt to last year's prom. Maybe this year I should go bold and I'll end up as the next prom queen." He tugs the legs of his pants up over his shoes.

Kurt undoes the first button of the jacket. "Even I had enough sense not to wear a bright pink tux to the prom. You look like a walking bottle of Pepto Bismol."

Blaine lets Kurt finish undoing the buttons on his jacket, solely for the pleasure of his fingers running down his back as he peels it off.

"I feel a sudden detachment from this outfit. To think, it would have gone so well with my pink sunglasses." He hangs the jacket back on it's hanger. Kurt shuts the door for privacy and hopes nobody comes back to find two sets of legs in one stall. People in Lima always assume the worst.

"You're afraid that something bad is going to happen again, aren't you?"

Blaine wobbles with one leg out of his pants. "Last year they tried to make a fool of you. Who's to say they aren't going to do it again?"

"That doesn't explain the pink suit." A hand lands on his shoulder as the rest of the body steadies itself to get the pants off.

"If they make fun of me, they don't have the time to make fun of you. It's your senior prom. It should be magical." The pants fall to the floor. He reaches for the pants he came in. Kurt puts out a hand to stop him.

He figures that this conversation will be easier with Blaine wearing pants and moves to let him put them on. When he's done he answers. "As long as I'm with you, it will be magical. Now let's find you a suit that doesn't look like a solution for indigestion."

Blaine ends up buying a black suit to match Kurt. His tie is hot pink.

I know that it's so cliché to tell you that every day I spend with you is the new best day of my life. Everyone watching us just turns away with disgust. It's jealousy, they can see that we've got it going on. (Must Have Done Something Right)

Kurt strolls into glee club with a smile on his face. He scans the room for Blaine. He locates him and takes a seat next to him. The word Dalton is emblazoned across his chest.

"Is that my sweatshirt?" Blaine flips the hood up and over Kurt's head.

He flips the hood back down. "I found it at my house yesterday. I was going to give it back to you, but they cranked the air conditioning up today and I got cold."

Upon careful inspection he notices the sweatshirt smells like Kurt's laundry detergent. The hood smells like his shampoo and hairspray. Blaine smiles in satisfaction.

Santana is the first to say anything. "What was his sweatshirt doing at your house? Left over from one of your late night escapades?" Kurt blushes, feeling like the air conditioning could get cranked up another ten degrees. It's a tempting idea to remove the sweatshirt. But Blaine seems very content with him wearing his clothes. His mind flashes back to the red pants he loaned him a while back and how nobody had mentioned them. Now he's wearing a sweatshirt and it's the most obvious thing in the world. Does nobody appreciate a good pair of skinny jeans anymore?

Besides his boyfriend that is.

Is it really that obvious that they've done it? That now that they are no longer virgin that everyone assumes that they do it every night until the great hours of the morning? Kurt keeps close tabs on his appearance. There's no under eye circles or other tell tale signs of lost sleep. He wonders if he stands differently than before. Taller, with more confidence. Shorter, with the objective of looking Blaine right in the eye with a look that makes plans for after school.

Mr. Schue comes in and Kurt snaps back to attention. Blaine curls one of the strings of his sweatshirt around his finger. He tugs, bringing Kurt close enough to whisper.

"Are you coming over this afternoon? I saw that shirt you were wearing earlier and I'd love to wear it Monday."

Kurt lets a squeak escape his lips. His boyfriend grins.

And sometimes I'm so thankful for your loyalty. Your love, regardless of the mistakes I make will spoil me. My confidence is, in a sense a gift you've given me and I'm satisfied to realize you're all I ever need. (I am Understood)

It's six in the morning. A Saturday morning on which Kurt has absolutely nothing to do but sleep in and pick out what he's going to wear under his graduation gown. The doorbell rings, even though nobody should be up at the ungodly hour. He wedges his head between the pillow and the bed. Through the pillow he can hear the door opening. Minutes later there is a knock at his door.

"Kurt, get up. You have company." Burt pokes his head in to make sure that his son is up. Kurt scrambles to get out of bed. He attempts to fix his hair in the mirror.

"Who is it?" A stray hair refuses to settle down. He catches his father's eye in the mirror. He's worried.

Burt doesn't answer the question. "Let's just say he doesn't like to be kept waiting."

Kurt stops fiddling with his hair. He makes his way into the kitchen after his father. There's a man sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. He sits across from him. It occurs to him as the man looks up who he is. He'd recognize that face anywhere.

It's Blaine's dad.

"Mr. Anderson. How are you?" Kurt folds his hands in front of himself. He wishes he had his own cup of coffee to wrap them around. He wants to ask, but with Mr. Anderson it's all business, and he's not sure what to do. It's a constant hassle to show respect for his boundaries and love for his son. If he had it his way Kurt would have long blonde hair and ruby red nails. Both of which he could have, but there is one thing that he doesn't have. One thing he doesn't plan to have, one thing that Blaine doesn't want.

He's not a girl.

"Confused. Perhaps you could explain to me why I found this in my son's room last night." He reaches into his coat pocket and pulls out a folded sheet of paper.

Kurt, I am so proud of you for finally graduating. I'm sorry that you didn't get into NYADA...

"It looks like a graduation card. One that I probably wasn't supposed to see until graduation." Burt sets a cup of coffee in front of him. He immediately reaches out to it.

Mr. Anderson takes back the paper and skims it for a minute. "One day, when we're old and gray I want our story to be the kind we tell our grandkids." He looks down his nose at Kurt.

"I can assure you Mr. Anderson when I'm old I will not be gray." Mr. Anderson does not look amused and Kurt hurries to take a sip of his coffee.

"It is just a phase. You don't actually think you're going to get married with kids do you?" He drinks the last of his coffee.

Kurt leans in so far the table is pressing into his stomach. "It is not a phase. Why is it so hard to accept that your only son is gay and happy? We're in love. Don't you remember what it was like to find love? Or have your stubborn pigheaded ways made you forget?"

He backs away. Not because the look Mr. Anderson is giving him. His stomach hurts, more likely from the pressing table than the words themselves. He stands tall. He desperately wants to reach for his coffee, the yelling leaving him parched. Mr. Anderson picks up his cup and realizes it's empty. He looks to Burt.

Burt stands with his arms crossed. It doesn't matter that Carole and Finn are still asleep. If Kurt hadn't said something he probably would shoved him out the door. Mr. Anderson stands, brushing his arm across his shirt.

There's a look in his eyes. It's not anger. It's not sadness either. It looks a whole lot like confusion.

Nobody says anything and Burt finds himself being the one to speak up. "There's something you should see."

He leads them into the living room and inserts a DVD into the player. It's labeled Regionals. He plays through the performance. He pauses at the end, a row of couples embracing.

"What do you see here?" Burt points the remote at Finn and Rachel.

"A happy couple." Burt moves the remote to Tina and Mike. "Another happy couple." He points to Kurt and Blaine. They're right next to Brittany and Santana. The one request Mr. Schue had honored. It wasn't boys and girls. It was teenagers in love, living on the stage. Where they belonged.

Mr. Anderson's mouth stays clamped shut. Burt speaks for him. "Another happy couple."

He takes in the glowing eyes, staring directly at each other. The arms secured around his waist promising to never let go. The smile on his son's face. The moment he wasn't there.

"I've never seen him that happy." His lips are dry, and he licks them. "I have to go."

The door shuts behind him.

Loneliness and solitude are two things not to get confused, cause I spend my solitude with you. (Therapy)

It's five at night and Blaine's reheating the meatloaf from last night's dinner. He's standing in front of the microwave, watching the plate go round, when a hand grabs his shoulder.

"Son, we need to talk." The next thirteen seconds are quiet, the buzzing of the microwave being the only filler. He removes the plate.

He sets it on the table. "About?"

"I paid a visit to Kurt and Burt Hummel this morning." The fork clatters as it collides with the ground. Neither of them move to pick it up.

Blaine trembles, but tries not to show it. Kurt hadn't texted or called all day. He had told him he was going to help the girls pick out their graduation outfits. Now he was starting to wonder if there was another reason. A piece of paper slides across the table.

"My graduation letter to Kurt. Why do you have it?" He doesn't need to unfold it to see the purple ink echoing his thoughts back to him.

"You plan to marry Kurt?" He breaks eye contact. He never breaks eye contact. Master of the house, never wrong, strong and able Mr. Anderson broke eye contact.

A surge of confidence races through Blaine.

"Well, we're a bit young now. But one day, yes, I do plan to marry him. And I don't care if you approve or not because we're in love and you can't take that away from me." His father regains eye contact and Blaine shrinks back.

"I know." Blaine can't do anything but stare. His father knows he's in love and still insists that it'll never work out. He thinks back to when he was eight, people watching on the bench outside of the mall. They were waiting for his mother and he pointed out a couple holding hands. 'One day that'll be you Blaine. You'll be a ladies man, and all the girls will be chasing after you.' Then he had patted him on the back in a half hug. The memory haunted Blaine.

"I'm giving you my blessing." He reaches his hand out, as if to touch him comfortingly. It makes no contact.

"I don't understand." Blaine pushes the cold meatloaf out of the way. He bends down to pick up the fork. He refuses to let his father see the look of hope on his face. The look that could swiped away in a moment when his father tells him he's misheard.

Mr. Anderson bends to meet Blaine's eyes. "Let's just say those Hummels make quite the argument. You're lucky, having found someone who loves you as much as Kurt."

Not that boy. Not your gay friend. Kurt. He called him his name. And he accepts him. He won't have to grow old alone.

Blaine drops the fork again.

As I exhale I hear your voice and I answer you, though I hardly make a noise. (When I Go Down)

"It's odd, seeing your father all smiley around me." Kurt throws a smile back over his shoulder and resumes helping Blaine filling the tent.

"You made him see the light. And you agreed to go camping with him, making you the first person in ten years to not stay home with a sudden illness." He unrolls each of the sleeping bags.

Kurt admires the view for a minute. Then, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means you just signed us up for an afternoon of watching him attempt to catch fish, followed by a hike around the area to see if we can find berries, and then finally stories around the campfire that are no scarier than the fit he throws after not catching any fish." He pauses for a minute, still in the crouched position. "Now would you stop admiring my butt and help me hide the bag of chips I brought to get us through the night?"

Kurt gets down on his hands and knees to look for a good place to hide them. He catches Blaine leering. "If I can't stare at your butt, then you can't stare at mine."

The chips end up in a pillow case. They crawl out at Mr. Anderson's beckoning. He holds two poles in his hands. He hands one to Blaine.

"Let's try and catch us some dinner boys. I'll watch this part of the river and you two can take that part." He sends them on their way. They sit on the bank of the river and Blaine mans the pole. Kurt takes off his shoes and sticks his feet in the water.

Down the way Mr. Anderson sends occasional glances towards them. Nothing seems to be biting on his end. He decides to show off and acts like a big fish is on his end. He tugs violently. Their interest is caught and they watch him struggle with the imaginary fish. Defeated, or at least what he hopes looks convincingly enough like it, the fish swims away.

"Nice try Mr. Anderson!" Kurt cups his hand around his mouth as he calls to him. It feels awkward being so genial with him. It'll pass with time.

He feels a mouth on his toe. He doesn't recognize it as Blaine's. He spots a fish attached to his foot. Blaine grabs at it and pulls it out of the water. "Looks like you caught us dinner Kurt."

Mr. Anderson sees the fish held triumphantly in the air. He's jealous. That he'll admit. But it's not just of the fish. It's of Kurt, and the relationship he has with his son. It's the kind he wishes he had. Blaine waves him over.

"Try your pole over here. Maybe there'll be more fish." He sticks his pole in the water. Together they catch two more fish.

The scary stories aren't scary, like Blaine predicted, but he cuddles his head into Blaine's chest and enjoys the sound of Mr. Anderson not yelling at him. He quits after the third story. They sit and talk until the stars come out. Kurt has to stifle a yawn. A yawn of tiredness rather than boredom.

They return to the tents and Blaine lays his head down on the pillow. The chips crunch under the weight of his head. He exhales, frustrated that he's forgotten and Kurt wishes him good dreams. He removes the chips and kisses him goodnight.

Kurt's already asleep.

Ohio has the flavor of a water chestnut. It's not too crazy. (Hoopes I Did it Again)

The man at the desk asks if he can help them. He studies the two up and down. Blaine holding a suitcase in each hand, Kurt in front of the desk.

"We have a room reserved under the name Kurt Hummel." Behind him Blaine sets the cases on the ground.

There's typing at the keyboard. "Ah yes. Single bed, no smoking?" He has a look on his face. And it's not questioning the smoking preference.

"That's us." Kurt glares at him, daring him to challenge him. So two boys are sharing a bed in a hotel. If they had rented the room for a quick shag they wouldn't have brought suitcases full of clothes. What'd the guy think was in them? Sex toys? Sure, it was a cheap motel in the middle of nowhere, but that didn't mean they were there to sleep together. Well, they would be sleeping together in the sense that they were sharing a bed. But there was a long day ahead of them tomorrow and Kurt planned on putting it to good use. Good sleeping use, with eyes closed, and hands not wandering anywhere but around his stomach.

When they finally got their room key they headed upstairs. The room was dark and smelled like floral air freshener. Blaine set the suitcases down. They opened the curtains to the sight of the deserted road.

"You know, when you suggested taking a road trip to New Jersey I was so excited for shopping on the boardwalk, that the overnight stay in a rundown motel completely escaped me." Kurt tugs the curtains closed again.

"It's only one night. We might as well enjoy the quiet and complimentary breakfast bar." Blaine unlocks the suitcase (truth be told, he himself was worried about leaving his stuff around in a place like this) and takes out some papers to look over.

Kurt sits down on the bed. It squeaked beneath him. "So much for having secret lover adventures tonight. The guy at the front desk will be so disappointed." He fell backward, exuding a giant squeak once again.

Blaine chuckles. "There's still the floor."

In the morning, when they come down for breakfast and checkout, Kurt's top button to his shirt is undone and his hair is ruffled.

Nothing happened, but the look the manager was wearing totally made his morning.

Just scream what you believe, out in a crowd. (Wit's All Been Done Before)

On their way to their next destination that night, Niagara Falls, they stop at Burger King. It's the only option on the route, other than going five miles out of the way for doughnuts. And the only promise to doughnuts is coffee. So Kurt agrees to pull into Burger King, where they stand in line for a good six and a half minutes. It's deliriously hot outside, and the coolness of the room sends goose bumps up their arms.

They both order kids meals. Blaine opens his toy before his apples. It's cheap and plastic, but he pretends to be amused with it. Kurt watches him. He gives in to Blaine's pleas and opens his own toy so they can play together. He comes to the conclusion that the heat has gone to his boyfriend's head. It takes him a few minutes to understand what is so fun about it all, but then he finds himself disagreeing with his previous opinion. It is fun. If Blaine has gone nuts, then so has he.

He keeps the crown, wearing it on the ride to the hotel. He ignores the questioning brow of the man at the front desk. The hotel is clean this time, being one of the newer options on the street. They drop their bags in their room. Together they drive to the Falls. At the rushing water Blaine takes hold of Kurt's hand.

"I love you Kurt." It's loud, and some of the adults around them avert their kids eyes.

"I don't think they heard you in Canada Blaine." He rolls his eyes.

Blaine takes the hint. Except he doesn't take it in the way Kurt intends, and next thing he knows, Blaine is taking in a chest full of air. "I love Kurt Hummel!"

Some of the people on the Maid of the Mist seem to turn their head at the noise. Kurt is entirely embarrassed and somehow flattered. He takes off his crown and places it on Blaine's head.

"Let's go see if that mattress squeaks."

You smile and laugh, and I feel the love you have for me. (Pressing On)

They've got the house to themselves. Kurt leans over Blaine in a leotard, his bunny tail poised in the air. Blaine grabs at the tail, missing and catching air. The doorbell rings.

"We should probably get that." Blaine sits up, causing him to tumble off. His bunny tail hits the floor. He rubs the pain away.

"You're in your boxers. And I'm dressed like a freaking bunny. Can't we pretend that we aren't home?" Kurt gets up off the ground. The doorbell rings again. It's followed by the ringing of Kurt's phone.

He opens the text. It's from Santana, telling him to open the door, because she's not stupid and she knows he's there. He shows it to Blaine.

Blaine pulls on his jeans, doing them up as he makes his way out of the room. He pulls the nearest shirt he can find over his head. He runs down the hallway to get the door because Santana has rung a third time now. Kurt finds a robe and puts it on.

"Santana, how's it going?" He lets her in. She smiles as Kurt enters, wrapping the robe tighter around his body.

"Had I known I was interrupting I would have brought a camera." She flashes a mischievous smile.

Kurt puts his hands on his hips. It causes the front of the robe to come open, exposing the leotard. "I was asking Blaine's opinion on my costume for the winter musical. We're doing a modern Alice in Wonderland."

"You're theater club sure sounds kinky." She snatches the robe off his body. "Not to get off the subject of Kurt's outfit, or lack of one, but I did have a reason for coming here."

Blaine takes the robe from her and hands it to Kurt. "And what would that be?"

"Christmas break doesn't start for another week for Brit, and I'm terribly lonely now that I'm away from my pesky roommates."

Santana ends up staying the rest of the afternoon. Kurt changes into his normal clothes and they watch Clueless.

When she gets up to leave, she stops at the door. "By the way Kurt, I want front row tickets for the show."

Kurt makes a mental note to request to do the show at the next theater meeting.

Now I'm searching for the confidence I lost so willingly. (For the Moments I Feel Faint)

Blaine's passing the rolls to Finn at the dinner table when it drops in his lap. It being a note that tells him to meet Kurt outside after they're done eating. He nods.

"Boys, this is family Friday. No notes at that table." Burt orders, but his tone is calm. He doesn't seem bothered by the incident at all.

"Sorry Dad." Kurt puts a forkful of peas to his mouth. One falls off and rolls to the ground.

Blaine wonders all through dinner what Kurt wants to talk about. He hopes it isn't bad. Another college bill arrived at the house this morning before work. But that was normal. Two years of college didn't pay for themselves. He had left enough coffee in the pot for him before leaving for the guitar shop. Everything was fine when they met for their lunch break. Kurt had told him about an important deal he had been successful with. No reason to fret. Yet the sweat accumulating on his palms was not from the August heat.

He reaches into his pocket and makes sure it's still there. If there isn't anything wrong, he's going to do it. He's going to ask for Kurt's hand in marriage. Then they can stop playing games over which house they're staying at for the night. They can buy an apartment and have a place to call home.

Kurt leads him outside when his dishes are in the sink. He snatches the ring box out of Blaine's pocket and gets down on one knee.

"Since you obviously are too scared to do this on your own, Blaine Anderson, will you be my forever love? And then marry me when Ohio finally legalizes gay marriage or we have enough money to move to New York City like we've wanted to?" His other knee hits the ground and his hands cup each other in a pleading stance.

"Up. Get up." Kurt obeys, a bit confused. Blaine takes the ring box from him and gets down on his knee.

He closes his eyes to take a deep breath. It shouldn't be this hard. He knows he wants it. So badly. And that's probably what makes it so hard. It needs to be perfect for his perfect love.

He opens his mouth, and words don't come out the way he prepared in front of the mirror. His tongue is tied, but Kurt waits patiently. "Kurt, will you be my one and only?"

"What happened to making our teenage dream into an adult dream and all that other cheesiness you were preparing in front of the mirror?" He grins at the ring sliding onto his finger.

Blaine blinks back at him. "You make me nervous." He thinks for a minute."How'd you know the ring was in my pocket?"

"You were toying with it all during our lunch today. It was a bit obvious m'dear." He runs his hand down Blaine's cheek and he can feel the metal of the ring.

It's a new feeling, and he likes it.

If home is where the heart is, then my home is where you are. (I'm Taking You With Me)

It's eleven in the morning, and Kurt's stomach is growling. Blaine drops another box on the floor.

"That's the last of them. We're officially home." He kicks the door shut with his foot.

"Do we really have to unpack all of those now?" Kurt looks at the pile that has accumulated. Half of it is clothes, ones that will have to be ironed to get the wrinkles out. Somewhere in the other half is food. He wishes he had labeled the boxes.

Blaine opens up the first box he can find. It's full of DVDs and books. "We can do some now and some later. There's what, twenty boxes?"

"Yes, but the clothes are in Space Bags. So when we decompress them it'll be like forty boxes." He walks over to Blaine and starts unloading the books onto the bookshelf.

They find that it takes half the time with music on, and plug the iPod dock into the wall socket. The music plays, not too loudly as to not make enemies with the new neighbors. But by noon Kurt is starving, and they have yet to discover the food box.

Kurt starts opening all the boxes and tossing all the Space Bags aside. He can deal with them later. Upon opening the fifth box he comes across a can of tomato soup. Never in his life had he been so excited to see a can of soup.

Now if only he could located the can opener.

He's happy to find it in the next box he opens, along with bowls and spoons. They break for lunch.

"So what do you think of it so far?" Blaine asks over the clinking of their spoons. Most of knick knacks are put up already, and the bed was made. All that's left is kitchen supplies and of course, the giant pile of clothes.

"It'll take some getting used to. I'm used to home being with Dad and Carole." He dabs at his face with a napkin.

Blaine blows on his spoon. "I think home is wherever you are." Kurt sighs, because they are both such hopeless romantics.

"Once we're done putting everything away, how about we see if the mattress squeaks?"

Kurt and Blaine are pleased to find their new mattress doesn't squeak.

With every passing second comes a second chance. (Fallen Man)

His finger is sticking in the cage. A paw attacks it. "Oh look Kurt, he has extra toes! It's a polydactyl kitten."

Kurt can't resist the urge to see for himself. Sure enough, there's an extra toe on each of the front paws. He stares in amazement.

"Matilda really likes company. Most people pass him by for his extra toes though." The sales clerk points to the kitten's paws.

"He? Matilda is a he?" Kurt tries to get a look at the cat. He isn't sure what he's looking for, not being an expert on the anatomy of a kitten.

She pulls a key out of her pocket and opens the cage. She takes the cat out. Blaine looks to her, as if to ask permission to hold him. She helps him cradle the cat in his arms.

"Never let small children name animals." She shrugs and closes the cage door. "Are you two interested in him?"

Blaine nods enthusiastically, and scratches the cat under the chin. "Take me home Kurt!" he says in a cute little voice. Kurt can't resist.

He thanks his lucky stars when he learns the kitten is litter trained.

Carole finds out at the next Friday dinner that the boys have a kitten and spoils him silly with belly rubs and toys. The kitten soaks it up, not used to the extra love. She offers to cat sit, and by the end of the night she has a copy of the key to their apartment. Blaine goes home and hides some things in the cupboards. The world does not need to know all the kinky secrets of Kurt and Blaine.

Matilda claims his spot at the end of the bed, between their feet. It's harder to cuddle this way. It takes a few days, and a little coaxing of Matilda to get in a position they can all sleep in. Kurt cuddles extra close and Matilda gets a full quarter of the bed to himself.

No one seems to mind.

I'm giving up on doing this alone now, cause I've failed and I'm ready to be shown how. (Be My Escape)

Santana shows up at their door, tears streaming down her face. Blaine lets her in without a question. She takes a seat on the couch next to Matilda, the now fully grown cat that needs to go on a diet. She runs a hand along his furry back and chokes back a sob.

"I'm pregnant."

Kurt stops, a slice of bread in midair. He sets it down on top of his sandwich and moves to sit down next to her. "Brittany got you pregnant? Isn't that impossible?"

"It wasn't Brittany." Tears stream down her face and Blaine offers her a tissue.

"What do you mean it wasn't Brittany? I thought you to were still happily together." She takes the tissue from him and dabs her eyes. Her mascara has run down her face.

She nods. "I am. I went to this party, and I got drunk and laid some guy that I don't even know the name of. I cheated on her, and she'll never forgive me."

Kurt rubbed circles on her back. He hadn't seen her since the Christmas party last year, and here she was, crying on his couch. It was a bit weird.

"Are you sure you're pregnant?" he asked. She shot him a look. He stopped rubbing.

"No Hummel. I just took a pregnancy test after missing my cycle and got positive results because I'm not pregnant." He smiled. That was more like the Santana he knew.

Blaine took her hand. "You should tell her. It was an honest mistake and she loves you. She'll understand." He looked to Kurt. "We'll be right there with you."

"What am I going to do with the baby? I can't take care of a child." She ran her hand through her hair.

Eight months later Kurt held a baby in his arms. Santana beamed at him from the hospital bed, Brittany right at her side.

"Are you sure about this?" She glanced to Blaine, who was playing with the child's toes.

"We've always wanted grandkids. This is the first step. And you're settled into your new apartment down the hall, so it's not like you can't come visit her." The child cries out as Blaine takes her from Kurt.

Santana tenses, then watches as he calms her down, singing nonsense lullabies to her.

This could work.

I heard the reverberating footsteps, syncing up to the beating of my heart. (Who I am Hates Who I've Been)

The tree brushes the top of the doorway, and Kurt wonders if it was a bad idea to let Brittany pick the tree. He gives it another shove and it passes through the door. Now to get it to go in the corner.

Matilda wakes from his nap on the couch. He watches as the tree is pushed to the window. Kurt catches his eye. "Don't even think about it."

The cat lowers his head, saddened by the fact that Kurt thinks he would climb into the tree. He had been planning on it, but he thought that his owners thought better of him. Had he not been a good big brother when Ella came home? He kept her company when they napped and didn't complain when she grabbed at his ears. He was a very good big brother in his opinion.

"You're back." Blaine greets him with a cup of hot chocolate.

Brittany comes in with a box of decorations and closes the door. "We have ornaments."

"I see that." He gets another mug filled and takes the box from her. Santana takes a sip of her drink from behind the counter.

"Please say you brought the one's that don't break. I don't want Ella around anything breakable." She digs in the box, relieved to find the glass ornaments to be missing.

Brittany shakes her head, making her ponytail swing around. "I figured if Matilda is anything like Lord Tubbington he'd knock them right off. The cat frowned at the mention of his neighbor. That cat made him look bad.

They're decorating the tree and Blaine reaches for the tinsel. That's when he hears it. The pitter patter of tiny footsteps. Ella is tottering towards him, trying not to fall on her face.

"Santana?" he asks, trying not to frighten the kid.

She looks down from her position on the step ladder, where she was mounting the star atop the tree.

"Her first steps!" Kurt races to get the camera. He snaps a picture as Santana descends the ladder.

Matilda perks up to see what all the commotion is about. Suddenly there's a hand at his tail and it yanks down. Ella smiles at him. The parents swivel around, confused at what happened. She hadn't run to her dads or her moms.

She ran to the cat.

Matilda wasn't sure if he wanted to be flattered or pissed off. He showed it to the two of them and he decided he looked good.

The things he did for this kid.

I know what you've been through but there's only so much one can do. (The Rest is Up To You)

They're watching cartoons with Ella when the commercial comes on. Kurt is in the kitchen, grabbing a pitcher of ice cold lemonade. He comes in, right at the precise moment that the name flashes across the screen.

Sebastian Smythe.

"Look who's got a role in a movie." Blaine takes the empty glasses from Kurt and sets them on the table.

"Who?" Ella asks. She's in that phase when she loves to ask questions. Kurt wishes she wasn't.

He lets Blaine answer the question. "An old friend of ours. He always said he was going to be famous, and now he's going to be in a movie."

"He also said he was going to end up with you. Looks like the genie didn't grant all his wishes." Kurt pours lemonade into the glasses.

"What's a genie?" Ella asks. Her tongue pokes through the hole in between her teeth. It's her confused face. At least until her new tooth grows in. Then her tongue will have to relocate to another hole. It's fine for now, seeing as how she's losing all her baby teeth, but once her adult teeth are in, nobody knows where her tongue will go.

"Kurt, get Aladdin out." Blaine moves the cup away from Matilda, who has jumped onto the table and is trying to stick his nose in it. The cat huffs angrily. He jumps off onto Ella's lap.

The DVD is popped into the player, the cartoon forgotten about. During the previews, which can't be skipped until someone finds new batteries for the DVD remote, Kurt leans over to Blaine.

"You could have had it all. You could have been with him, smiling on the red carpet while I mooned over your picture in magazines, pretending to be in love with some guy I've accidentally eloped in Vegas with." He takes a moment to check on Ella, who isn't paying them any attention. She's rapt in the surround sound of the television.

"I do have it all," Blaine starts, placing his hand on Kurt's knee. "A daughter, a pudgy gray cat, and a gorgeous man who doesn't need millions of fans to tell him he's fabulous. And even if he did, I'd be there by his side, making it very clear that he is taken."

Matilda cracks an eye open at the comment about his weight. He picks his bottom off of her and makes a point of taking the long way to the litter box. He stretches his limbs, showing what a limber and lean cat he is. His belly touches the crystals of the litter. He takes care of business, wiping his paws on the mat his owners have so generously provided and takes the long way back to the couch again. He takes a detour to the window for a minute, flaunting what he considers to be his very shapely hindquarters.

He jumps back in her lap. That's when he sees Kurt's head tucked under Blaine's chin. That grand execution, all for nothing. A hand scratches him behind the ears, and he forgets why he was angry in the first place. He purrs in satisfaction.

He still wouldn't mind his own glass of lemonade though.

I made you a place, a place within my heart. With you I'm so much stronger. (When You're Around)

In the end, they take Ella to see the movie. It's rated PG, and Kurt has to cover her ears when he senses certain words are going to be said. She lifts his hand at one point and says in a voice low enough to disturb the audience, "I've heard a lot worse from Mommy. You don't have to cover my ears."

He takes his hands away. He knows that Santana is Mommy. Sebastian says something on screen and he throws a kernel at it. It hits someone in the back of the head. He ducks down farther into his seat.

In the end, they all agree the movie sucks. It's not the acting, Sebastian being spot on to play the villain. The lead girl was pretty, and managed to not look like she was reading her lines off of cues cards. The plot was recycled, and some of the lines were cheesy. He couldn't expect much from a teen movie. It had just felt like he had seen it all before.

They exit the theater once the crowd has thinned. At the front of the room sits a man in a baseball cap and sunglasses. It's dark in the room, but they are hiding his eyes. From what is unknown.

He rises out of his seat and gets in line behind them. His hand lands on their shoulders. Kurt wants to swing around and kick the stranger where it hurts, thinking they are being robbed. He's with Ella though, and he keeps facing forward.

"I knew you two would come to see me on the big screen. I think I looked pretty good huh?" He lowers his sunglasses and adjusts his hat long enough for them to recognize his face.

"That's what they call movie magic." Kurt flashes a fake grin at him. The crack doesn't affect Sebastian in the least.

He steps closer to Kurt, now that they're out in the light and points to his face. "Is that a wrinkle I see?"

The words are smooth and float off his tongue as if he had not greatly insulted him. As if it was as common as to point at the sky and ask if that glowing bulb of yellow was indeed the sun. Ella motions for him to bend down to her level. Sebastian, thinking she must want to sing his praises, obeys.

"It's cause he smiles a lot. Papa has 'em too. He blames them on Daddy, saying that he makes him smile too much. But I can tell they're really happy." She herself smiles, becoming one step closer to forming a wrinkle.

He straightens his hat. Then he takes her pigtails and playfully tugs on them. She giggles. To her, he's a celebrity. Not some teenage boy that tried to separate her dads back in high school.

"So, what are you doing back in town? Shouldn't you be off getting photographed or something?" Kurt avoids walking to his car. He doesn't want Sebastian seeing the crayons still spilled on the floor from the car ride there, or that the outside doesn't shine because he hasn't gotten around to washing it. His car is probably the newest model, free of any dirt. It was that way in high school.

Sebastian stops at a red car. Kurt notices the back end has a small dent in it. It's not noticeable unless you look for it. "Wanted to come back to where it all began. Seeing your face was just a bonus. Though I did plan on visiting you at the apartment and see the daughter I've heard so much about."

"You've heard about me?" Ella asks.

At the same time Blaine is asking, "You know where we live?"

Sebastian shrugs it off. "I have people. Wanted to see what the hottest guy in all of Ohio was up to. They tracked you down in a couple of hours."

Kurt is creeped out, but Ella looks a little flattered. A star came to meet her. Sebastian presses a button on his key ring to unlock his car.

"We were going to go get some dinner if you'd like to join us." Blaine takes hold of Kurt's hand and squeezes. He's being polite. His daughter is excited, and he want's to make a moment for her. Even if it means sitting through dinner with him.

"I'd love to." He gets behind the wheel of his car. "Where to?"

Blaine gives him directions to the restaurant and they head for their own car. Kurt reaches into the backseat and gathers all the crayons. There's no time to wash the outside of the car. Short of a sudden rainfall, Sebastian's going to know.

Driving down the road, Blaine keeps his hands on the wheel and eyes straight ahead. "Just remember. I love you."

"Thank you Papa." She peeks out the window to see how much farther there is to go.

Kurt smiles. The words may not have been meant for her, but they mean them all the same. He catches Blaine's eye, which has ventured his way and mouths four words back at him.

I love you too.