AN: Last official chapter You should get one or two more things from me after that at some point in the future.

Epilogue: Part 3: Through the Years… - B

Spring 2017

SING gets cancelled in its fifth season, but at twenty-four, Kurt is ready to branch out, to play something other than a teenager – though his character is in college by now as well.

It's Blaine who points him to an audition for something he wanted to be a part of ever since Blaine first introduced him to it. These days Blaine's connection to the music industry do come in handy.

After the production had been postponed for years, a different studio had picked up the movie rights to 'Wicked' and as it is, they are in the market for a new Fiyero because some of the original Broadway cast feel to old for their roles now.

Winning one Golden Globe and two Emmys has given him the confidence to go for things he wants. He's routinely been praised for his voice while he was still on the show and with the help of a vocal coach has expanded his range even further.

If it were up to him, he'd be auditioning for Elphaba, but when he gets a call back after his first audition he is still ecstatic and he and Blaine celebrate by spending the weekend in San Francisco, staying in the same bed and breakfast they had all those years ago.

It's nice to get away from the paparazzi and the media for a weekend, because now that the public knows about the end of SING, they all want to know what Kurt Hummel is planning to do next. His fans especially have been pretty much tweeting him non-stop ever since it was announced that their current season will be the last, and some days he can't believe how many people have come to love his character.

Blaine's favorite place to look him up on is still Tumblr though Kurt mostly just gets weired out when Blaine shows him porn written about them or Kurt's character. But he doesn't judge. It's not like he never had fantasies about the yummy 'True Blood' vampires and he knows that Blaine occasionally reads Harry Potter fan fiction. It's just weird to read stories about himself or what people think he and Blaine do in bed.

When they return from their weekend trip, Kurt's happy to hear he has gotten a second call back, and before SING even airs its last episode, he has signed on as Fiyero in the film version of the musical.

It's bitter sweet, saying goodbye to the cast and crew, after spending most of his time with them for the past five years, but he has made some great new friends and knows they will stay in contact as much as their schedules allow.

Before filming starts for him and Blaine has to go back to the studio to record the score for a new television series, they fly home to Ohio for a few weeks, to attend Tina and Mike's wedding.

After many ups and downs the couple finally had reunited during Mike's senior year and are now the first after Finn to get married. As predicted, Finn's marriage hadn't even lasted a year, but he and his ex-wife had agreed on joint custody and both he and Blaine can't wait to see their niece again.

Kurt doesn't even think about it when he and Blaine drop by the garage to surprise Burt as they have managed to get an earlier flight, so when he comes face-to-face with his father, he freezes for a moment.

It's not that he didn't know about it, but apart from a few letters there hasn't been any contact between them – only Burt's updates on his behavior and sobriety.

Blaine doesn't look too happy either, but public Blaine is nothing but polite – even to the most obnoxious paparazzi – so he puts on a fake smile and holds out his hand in greeting.

"Mr. Anderson. I hope you are well," his boyfriend tells his father, who at least looks uncomfortable as well.

Fortunately Burt shows up before the situation can get worse, sending his father back to work while Burt takes him and Blaine out for dinner.

"So, how is he doing?" he asks once they are seated in a small diner and Kurt is hidden from view by Burt's bulky frame.

"So far, so good. He's been checking in with his parole officer, going to AA meetings and so far he's proven to be a good worker. Been taking him to PFLAG meetings for the last couple of months and he's been on his best behavior."

So nothing has changed since Burt's last update and Kurt still doesn't know what to do with the information.

"You don't have to see him if you don't want to, Kurt. I'm keeping an eye on him like I promised but you don't owe him anything," Burt reminds him when Kurt remains silent.

"Has he been asking about me?" he asks after the waitress left with their orders and Burt nods. "About you and Blaine both after I made sure he understood that the two of you are a package deal and that that wasn't going to change."

In the end, he and Blaine agree to go to dinner with Jarred, after he tells Blaine that PDA will most certainly be appreciated. Because his father might be okay with them as a couple on paper, but he needs to see his reaction when he and Blaine are together and actually acting like a couple.

They meet at a small restaurant outside of town, because if this turns ugly, Kurt doesn't need any witnesses who might recognize him and sell the story to the papers.

Jarred, because Kurt can't and won't call him dad anymore, is already waiting for them when they walk in hand in hand and while they attract some stares from the other guests, his father's face stays blank when they walk up.

"Kurt, Blaine. Thank you for joining me," he tells them before they all sit down, he and Blaine opposite Jarred. They don't show much affection anymore in places where they know they will be photographed but they go all out during dinner, with Blaine wiping sauce from the corner of his mouth with his thumb and repeatedly kissing his cheeks and lips during dinner.

If his father is disgusted by their display he doesn't show it, mostly asking questions about their life in L.A and about how they are doing in general. The dinner is no disaster, but Kurt still never fully relaxes, always waiting for the other shoe to drop.

There are no agreements to meet again in the future or to stay in contact, but Kurt also doesn't say no when Jarred asks if it is okay if he keeps writing. Because as much as the man has hurt him, he has loved him once, and if his father can truly change then maybe all the other homophobes out there can be reformed as well. He might be naïve to think that, but unfortunately Kurt Hummel is an optimist these days.

Nearly everyone of the old and new New Directions shows up for the weeding a few days later and there are a few surprises. Santana and Brittany seem to be on again after splitting up while Brittany went on tour with a new pop sensation and Rachel is wearing an engagement ring, put on her finger by none other than Jesse St. James.

He reminds him that he really needs to talk to her more often because the last he heard she was dating some guy she had met at NYU. Fortunately, Rachel is doing well for herself in New York. She might not be on Broadway yet, but is nearly constantly employed, doing off-Broadway plays and musicals.

Both Santana and a newly single Quinn are heading to grad school in the fall, while new film school graduate Artie is working on his first screen play, after Kurt had helped him get a few jobs on the set of SING.

Mike and Tina's wedding is beautiful and a lot more modern than he has expected, but apparently Tina had put her foot down when it came to the wedding planning.

He knows Blaine wants to get married in Ohio if or when they ever do, but as long as they still can't it's not a topic they talk about. Doesn't mean he doesn't think about it when he watches Tina and Mike exchange their rings.

Things change however a few months later, and they nearly miss the announcement because they are both in Vancouver – Kurt filming and Blaine visiting him on set. After the Obama administration had started the process, president Clinton had finally done what during Kurt's high school time had been unthinkable.

Five days after DOMA gets repealed and same-sex marriage is made legal in all fifty states, Blaine goes down on one knee in front of him on his day off and asks the question, teenage Kurt had thought he would never hear. As they are both only twenty-four and twenty-three, they agree on a long engagement – after Kurt has cried himself out and showered his fiancé with kisses – making plans to get married a few years down the road.

Back in L.A. they move into their first house, still relatively small but big enough for Blaine to have his own recording studio at home, so he can work on projects without having to leave the house.

And because they are both too young to get married or even think about kids, Kurt finally relents when Blaine asks about pets again. Originally, they only have plans to get a dog, but when they are at a shelter and Blaine immediately falls in love with a two year old Golden Retriever, they end up going home with a kitten as well, who has latched herself onto the dog since the day she was found on the side of the road.

Kurt has never thought of himself as a cat or dog person, but it soon becomes clear that while the dog – Perry – loves Blaine, their new kitten seems particularly fond of him. Blaine's idea had been to name her Gaga because she was Kurt's idol, but Kurt had protested and named her after his latest obsession – Queenie.

Things are good for them over the next few years with Blaine making a name for himself as a composer and Kurt finally successfully managing to make the jump to the big screen in 2021, after having a lead role in a sit-com about a group of college aged friends – described as 'Friends 2.0' by many critics.

Spring 2022

In the spring of 2022, he and Kurt fly out to Ohio to attend yet another wedding, but this time it's theirs. Over the last few years they have attended two more New Direction weddings – Rachel and Jesse the previous year after they found out she was pregnant – and Artie's and the girlfriend's he met in L.A but was from Ohio originally as well – and Blaine is beyond happy that it's finally their turn after a five-year engagement.

They have cast Finn's six-year-old daughter Hailey as their flower girl and have rented out the Westerville country club for the ceremony. As much as they wanted to have a simple wedding in a park, they both agreed that Kurt's too famous for that now and that they needed to host it somewhere where they could have security in place to keep the photographers out.

As is tradition by now, the New Directions are taking care of the musical part of their wedding and reception and he knows Kurt is beyond excited that Blaine has composed a song for them, that Grammy nominee Mercedes Jones is performing for them.

After he had helped her with her first album, Mercedes had asked him to produce her second one as well, but unfortunately he had to decline because of how in demand he is nowadays. In the public eye he is nowhere near as famous as Kurt is, but he has managed to make a name for himself over the years and loves his job.

Rachel and Jesse are the first ones to arrive, their six months old son Jamie in tow, and watching Kurt play with the infant just reminds him of how much he wants that with Kurt one day. But for now, Kurt has his strict no kids before thirty rule in place, because he's afraid he won't get hired as much when he gets older, though he still looks like he is barely twenty in Blaine's opinion.

Mike and Tina are parents as well now of a beautiful two year old girl and if rumors are true, Puck's going to be a father soon as well. Puck has never struck him as the marrying type but he and his girlfriend have been in a stable relationship for over two years now, so he is happy for him as well.

Brittany and Santana arrive separately but Blaine knows by now that it's only a question of time until those two are together again. He couldn't be prouder of his friend though as Santana is currently preparing for her bar exam.

After months of planning, everything runs smoothly to his relief and if and Kurt both choke up a bit during their vows, who could blame them. Ten years together and Kurt can still bring him to tears with his love for him.

Kurt looks radiant and his smile stretches wide when they finally exchange rings and officially become the Hummel family. There has never been any discussion about using Kurt's birth name after they are married because Kurt hasn't been Kurt Anderson in a long time. His boyfriend might not have legally changed his names over the years because he wanted to wait for their wedding, but apart from his driver's license and his passport, Kurt's been a Hummel pretty much since Blaine's dad had taken him in.

They share a long and passion filled kiss in front of all their family and friends, only breaking apart when someone – probably Santana – cat calls and Blaine vows to do his best to make Kurt always smile like that.

When Mercedes takes the stage some time later, he leads his husband out on the dance floor where they share their first dance as a married couple to the sounds of Blaine's love song for Kurt.

They are sitting at one of the tables in the back, feeding one another pieces of cake, when Kurt's father approaches them. Cooper, upon seeing his father, immediately gets up and leaves and Blaine understands him too well. They didn't argue a lot, but it had been cause for an argument when Kurt had told him he wanted to invite his father to their wedding. He knows Kurt had been surprised the man had even shown up even though they had been talking more over the past years and had met him when they were in Ohio, so Blaine just pushes his still negative feelings about him to the back of his mind and invites him to sit down.

"Just wanted to say thank you for inviting me. I'm glad I got to see Kurt so happy, but I need to head back to the shop now. Promised Burt to finish some stuff for him and all that booze here isn't easy to be around as a recovering alcoholic."

"I'm happy you came," Kurt replies and Blaine knows he means it. He also needs to accept that Kurt wants his father is his life to some extent. Because Kurt has always been forgiving even to people who don't deserve it in his opinion, but Blaine loves that his husband has such a big heart.

But if Jarred steps one toe out of line he'll make sure he never bothers Kurt again.

They dance the evening and night away after Jarred leaves before collapsing on their old bed in Blaine's old room, too tired and a bit too tipsy to do much. Burt drives them to the airport the next morning for their flight to a small island in the Caribbean another actor has recommended to Kurt.

Before they can pass security he stops them though. "There's something I wanted to say, for years now, but I didn't want to be presumptuous. Kurt, you've been my son for many years and now that it's official I would be honored if you would call me dad."

There are tears in Kurt's eyes when he briefly takes off his sunglasses to wipe his eyes, but the smile on his face tells them both how happy Kurt is.

"I'd love that," he replies before his dad and Kurt embrace one another again. Kurt doesn't stop smiling until they arrive at the small airport in the Caribbean and they are informed that their luggage hasn't arrived yet.

Blaine's not too bothered though. His honeymoon plans had never featured Kurt in clothes anyway.

2024

They both work hard over the next two years, Kurt taking on a supporting role in Artie's second film, for which Blaine is writing the music, but when more and more of their friends start having babies, they sit down together and have a discussion about what they want to do.

Finding an egg donor they both agree on is surprisingly easy once they make the decision to have a child, but just when they think they found the perfect surrogate, Kurt gets an offer to be in a play on Broadway.

Being on Broadway has always been his dream and is one of the few that haven't come true yet.

"We can still do it," Blaine tells him over dinner when Kurt admits that he wants to do the play. "She isn't pregnant yet and by the time the play is over the baby would nearly be here."

Kurt shakes his head though. "I know it might sound stupid, but I want to be part of the pregnancy. I want to be there for ultrasound appointments, want to see our baby grow. And I can't do that if our surrogate is in L.A and I am in New York."

"You mean when we are in New York. I'm nearly done with the music for Artie and I don't have any projects lined up that require me to be in L.A all the time."

It's Rachel who ultimately offers them a solution to their problem. They are in New York so Kurt can meet the cast and crew of the play before rehearsal starts and they take her, Jesse and Jamie out for dinner afterward.

"Thinking about kids yet?" Rachel asks when Blaine can't stop playing with two-year-old Jamie and Kurt sighs.

"We are actually. We had everything worked out but with me moving to New York for the next ten months, we need a new surrogate, because I don't want to miss anything."

They talk a bit more about the topic while Jesse and Blaine entertain Jamie, but it still comes as a huge surprise when Rachel calls a few days later and offers to be their surrogate.

"Are you sure about that Rachel? What about work?" "I need a break. I missed so much of Jamie's life already and I want to take a few months off to spend with my son."

Rachel had gotten her break in 'Funny Girl' shortly after Jamie had been born and had been in high demand during the last two years. It was something he worried about himself, that he would miss out on things being at work, while Blaine worked from home and watched their kid, but they had promised each other to find a way to make it work.

"Well, if you are sure and Jesse is okay with it I'm going to ask the agency here for a doctor in New York and we can talk more when Blaine and I come up in two weeks to check out a few apartments."

Rachel doesn't back down and so, three months later, they all head to the doctor's office for her first ultrasound after the pregnancy was confirmed.

Kurt's pretty proud he doesn't faint when the doctor tells them about the two heart beats, but he does spend the next two hours apologizing to Rachel for knocking her up with twins.

They had decided to do what Rachel's dads had done – mixing their sperm - and whoever wasn't the bio dad the first time around, would be for their second child. Three kids were never the plan, so whoever fathered the twins, Kurt will be happy with it. He doesn't need to be his children's biological father to love them, he is sure of it.

Rachel gives birth early December, two weeks before Kurt's show closes and he knows his understudy is going to be ecstatic when he hears that he can do the rest of the shows.

They leave the hospital two days later with a boy with Kurt's eyes and nose and a baby girl that already has a full head of hair, curly like Blaine's. They name the girl Ella Elizabeth, after Blaine's mom and the boy Jake Elijah because they like the names.

The whole Hudmel clan comes out to spend Christmas with them in New York because they are hesitant to fly with their two week old babies, before returning home in late January, missing the Golden Globes where both Kurt and Artie are winners.

When it is announced that both Kurt and Blaine are nominated for an Oscar they invite Burt and Carole to L.A because they don't want to leave the twins with strangers for the night and both Burt and Carole immediately agree because they want to see as much of the babies as possible.

Kurt doesn't win that year, but Blaine wins an Oscar for best original score for Artie's film.

In March they fly to Ohio for a few weeks to get away from their crazy life in L.A, spending lots of time with Finn, his new girlfriend and Finn's daughter. After many debates, Kurt decides to let his father see his kids – supervised of course because the fear that it is all an act is still there and will probably always be.

Back in L.A. he, Artie and Blaine team up for another film, but Kurt's happy when filming ends because he doesn't want to miss his kids first words or other important milestones.

The twins' first birthday is celebrated in Los Angeles that year because they are hosting Christmas again in their own home – a larger house they moved into after they came back from New York – with their friends and family in attendance.

To Kurt's surprise Santana and Brittany come up to him during the party to ask him to help them getting pregnant, but he ultimately refers them to the agency they used because he doesn't want to be related to kids that aren't his. He had told Rachel the same thing when she had offered them her eggs, because it was less complicated this way. He and Blaine do congratulate the girls though on finally being back together and being willing to fully commit.

2026

The following year, Kurt wins an Academy Award for best actor, and he is getting more offers than ever, but when a London based theater company contacts him and invites him to audition for the rival of 'Phantom of the Opera', he doesn't hesitate and flies to London to meet with the producers and to audition.

They move to London in 2027 with their three year old twins when Kurt gets cast as the phantom, finding a nice house in the outskirts of London, because they want a backyard for the kids to play in. Kurt hires a young French girl as their nanny, hoping the kids will pick up the language while she is taking care of them.

Being on stage doing a musical is a dream come true for Kurt, one that finally comes true for him at the 'ripe' age of thirty-four.

When the musical closes they don't move back to the States immediately, having grown quite fond of London even though the weather sometimes is just nasty, especially compared to what they are used to in L.A.

Kurt finds work with two movies filmed just outside of London, while Blaine is writing the musical he had promised Kurt he would write for them when they were in their teens.

2029

They return to L.A after two years of living in London, settling in L.A again because the kids are starting school and they don't want to uproot them once they make friends in school. Marie, their French nanny has come back with them, because the kids adore her, and both he and Blaine are not fans of leaving their kids with random babysitters when they have to go out at night.

Marie stays with Ella and Jake when they fly to New York for the premiere of Kurt's newest movie and a few talk show interviews. It's on their first night there that the run into someone Kurt has never expected to run into in New York of all places.

David Karofsky, is holding hands with a tall man, and a young boy who looks so much like him and can only be his child.

Kurt doesn't know what he expected to feel should he ever run into his former bully again, but now that he sees him with his family, he is happy for him, happy he got out as well.

Karofsky introduces his companions as his husband Marcus and son John, before he asks them to go ahead because there's something he needs to tell Kurt and Blaine.

"My husband, he knows all about my past, but there are things I don't need my son to know," he says when Kurt raises an eyebrow, probably unseen however as his eyes are hidden behind sunglasses.

"I'm glad things worked out for you as well, but I have to say, I never imagined seeing you in New York."

Karofsky chuckles for a moment before he explains. "We live in Connecticut not New York. We are actually here for your film premiere because Markus is a big fan of yours."

Kurt nods before taking a quick look around to make sure people didn't overhear what Karofsky said about him.

"You said you had something to say to us? What is it?" Blaine interjected, keeping his vice grip on Kurt's arm.

"I wanted to apologize to both of you, but especially Kurt. I was horrible to you and you of all people didn't deserve that. I hated myself and I took it out on you because I could. And worst of all I tried to force you to like me because I knew it wouldn't happen any other way, that you would never say yes to me if I just asked nicely."

Kurt nods once, because it is the truth. Nothing would have ever happened between the two of them if it were up to Kurt.

"How have you been after you left McKinley?" Kurt asks because Karofsky isn't in the closet anymore, is a married man and father now and he wants to know how he got there.

"I think reform school was the best thing that could have happened to me, because it made me realize that I didn't want to be like all those other guys there. All I wanted to be was happy and I knew that if I continued on the path I was on this was never going to happen.

I moved out east for college, not a fancy one but far away from Lima, and I came out, because everyone was telling me that people in college wouldn't care. My dad was supportive when he found out and our relationship is so much better these days. My mom, she didn't take it well, called me some horrible things but they are divorced now and I haven't seen her in years."

It's weird to know they have experiences they share, that they have both come out on top even though things weren't easy for them when they were young.

Kurt never hears from his mother again – not that he wants to after all he discovered about her – but he and his father have tentatively rebuild a relationship since Jarred was released from prison in 2016. Afterward, he was there for the major events in his life.

When his mother dies from an overdose, Kurt doesn't find out until three months after it happens and he doesn't feel anything. No sadness, no relief, it's like mourning a stranger.

When his father, who his kids call grandpa, passes in early 2031 after his second heart attack, Kurt does shed some tears because Jarred had worked hard to make things right in the second half of Kurt's life. He'll never forget what he did to him when he was a child, but Jarred had kept his promise and hadn't let him down again.

Even Cooper shows up for the service, though he and their father never reconciled during his lifetime. 'It's not the same', Cooper used to tell him when Kurt asked him if he was mad that Kurt was talking to Jarred. 'He hasn't been my father for a long time and I honestly didn't think I'll ever see him again. But I won't judge you if you want to give him a second chance.'

There aren't many people at the service other than the Hudson – Hummel family and a few mechanics from the garage and it's kind of sad because his father had done his best to be a good guy for the past fifteen years.

He stands in front of the casket a bit longer, while everyone else files out of church. "Are you coming, kiddo?" Burt calls out to him, Ella and Jake each holding one of his hands, and Kurt nods. "Be right out, dad," he calls back before turning to the casket in front of him again.

He's never said it during the years he and his father have rebuilt their relationship, because he was never sure if he really did. And his father had never asked for it and hadn't argued when Kurt and Blaine never let him be around the kids on his own.

Kurt isn't religious, he doesn't believe in God, so when he says it it's not for some religious reason, he doesn't want to absolve his father of his sins. No, this is for him, to find his own peace, the closure he wanted all those years ago.

"I forgive you," he tells the casket before turning around and walking out of the church, where Blaine is waiting with their two seven-year-olds, and Burt is holding Carole in his arms while Finn is scolding his fifteen-year-old for running off to meet her friends.

They are all the family he has now, but it doesn't make him sad, because he is so incredibly lucky to have them.

Meeting Blaine during recess when they were kids was the best thing that ever happened to him, changed his life for the better and he doesn't even want to know where he would be right now if they hadn't met. Maybe it would be him in the casket.

Now surrounded by his family - Blaine, Jake, Ella, Burt, Carole, Finn and Hailey - he thinks that he's had a pretty good life regardless of how it had started it out. These days, Kurt Anderson is just somebody that he used to know.

FIN

AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed, followed the story or just joined me on this three months journey. Originally I wanted to write something short, something long enough for NaNo but at some point the characters took over and now three months later, this is the longest story I've written so far. Wish I had been this productive when I was working on my master thesis ;)

So thanks again for the kind words and words of encouragement that pretty much brightened some shitty days. I loved writing this story, even though I made Kurt suffer quite a lot. I think he got the happy ending he deserved.

And last but not least I have to thank my mother for being the inspiration for Mrs. Anderson. I loved reading what you wanted to do to her ;)