“We need to tell him soon, Wes!” Blaine whisper-shouted over the phone. Kurt was trying not to feel bad, but not being invited to go to New York was eating at him. Hed gotten Blaine to admit he was going and then Kurts eyes just got so sad.

“I can have a bunch of us together tonight, we were going to be practicing on the polo field. Ill bring my laptop and we can Skype from the stable?”

“Sounds like a plan. What time?” Blaine asked.

“They said three thirty, so how about we connect at four?” Wes suggested.

“Ill have him ready,” Blaine smiled. This is going to be the best present ever. Well, next to Misty.

*

“Kurt? Do you need any help with supper?” Burt asked, walking to the front screen door. Kurt and Blaine were out in the porch swing again.

“No, Dad, its all in the oven. I made your favorite roast with potatoes and carrots. It doesnt need much in the way of fussing with it. I plan on having it ready at five. That sound okay?” Kurt asked his dad, looking up from his place in Blaines arms.

“Yeah, kiddo. Sounds great. Thank you for making that – I know Carole and Finn are going to love it,” he smiled. He was so proud of his son.

“Hey, Kurt. Lets go in and see whos on Skype. Maybe we can get Trent and see how Misty and Aurora are?” Blaine suggested. He knew Kurt missed his horse when he was in Lima. They would be going back to Westerville in the morning. It was a quarter of three, so just enough time to set up the laptop in the den.

“Sure, Bee. I wish Brit could come to see my horse. I know she loves all animals. Maybe when youre in New York she can come with me one weekend,” Kurt contemplated. He got up and followed Blaine inside.

*

“Aww, I dont see Trent,” Kurt said, looking at the list for Skype connections.

“No, but theres Wes. Lets say hello to him,” Blaine suggested. He clicked on the button and Skype came to life.

“Hey, Wes. What are you up to?” Blaine asked, trying to hide his grin. He knew Burt was in the kitchen, listening for the right moment to walk in with the envelope.

“Just at the stable. The guys are all here for polo practice – well, all but you two slackers,” Wes smiled.

“Well be back by next week. Were spending a week here with Kurts dad,” Blaine explained.

“Hey, let me get everyone over here....” Wes said, calling to the other guys in the stable to come say hello to Kurt.

“Okay, well, as spokesman for our whole group, Kurt, I want to ask you something,” Wes started. Kurt looked a little surprised and Blaine slid his arm around Kurts waist.

“Okay...what?” Kurt asked. Blaine made a sign to Burt, who stepped in the den, walking quietly up in back of Kurt.

“We wanted to ask if you would like to spend a week in New York? We all pooled our money to get you tickets because we arent the Warblers with one of our members missing. So, how about it? Want to go see the sights of the Big Apple?” Wes asked, all of Kurts friends waving at him from the Dalton stables.

Kurt just sat there in amazement. He saw his dad out of the corner of his eye.

“Youre in on this Dad? You, too, Bee?” he asked, his eyes wide and his heart beating.

“Yeah, we are,” Burt said, Blaine nodding.

“Oh...I would love to!” Kurt said, wiping his eyes. He had dreamed of going to New York since he could remember.

“Well, you have a whole week to pack your bags, Warbler Kurt,” Thad told him, all of the Warblers grinning in the background.

“Thank you, oh...you have no idea how much this means to me. Thank you all,” Kurt said, blinking back happy tears. Blaine leaned forward, kissing his boyfriends cheek as he hugged him tight.

“You are welcome. It wouldnt be the same without you, Kurt,” Wes said, then all of the boys shouted similar things.

“Ill let you sign off, Hummel. We will see you back in Westerville next week. We still have a few things to plan, then off to see the world,” Seb told him. They signed off, Kurt in a daze as he thought of all the things he wanted to see.

“I have the tickets here, Kurt, and the itinerary if you want to see what they have planned so far,” Burt offered, handing his son a thick manilla envelope.

“Thank you, Dad. How long have you known about this?” Kurt asked.

“About two minutes after you were accepted as a Warbler. Your boyfriend has a big mouth,” Burt laughed. Blaine gave him a scowl, but Burt just laughed more. “Okay, I need to get down to the garage to work a while today. Ill see you guys for supper in a few hours,” Burt said.

“Okay, Dad. Thank you,” Kurt said, knowing his father probably helped out a lot for this trip.

~KB~KB~KB~KB~KB~

Waiting at the airport, most of the Warblers sat in the banks of chairs near the gate for the flight to New York. A few were a bit late, but Wes had faith they would all be there. They had been trained to be on time at Dalton, it was probably the first thing most of them learned in the pursuit of manners.

“Whos missing?” Trent asked, standing by his mother. Mrs. Barnes was one of the chaperons.

Mrs Barnes looked at her list, the tic marks down the side next to each boys name showed who was there.

“Sebastian Smythe and Jeff Sterling,” she said. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other, trying not to burst into laughter. Mrs Barnes saw this, but didnt say a word. So, something she would need to keep an eye on. Noted.

Just then the two boys in question came down the concourse, dragging their suitcases behind them. Mrs Barnes ticked them off the list just as the intercom announced that their flight was ready to board.

Seated in the plane, Kurt held on to Blaines hand. He had never been on an airplane before and was very excited to be on this one. Blaine was a little pale, offering Kurt the window seat. It wasnt entirely because he was a gentleman.

Jeff and Seb were sitting six rows apart, but traded and ended up together near the back of the plane. Trent sat as far away from his mother as possible, also trading so he could sit by Nicky. The Warblers took up almost the whole back of the plane. After they were in the air and the seatbelt lights went off, they all got comfortable and one of them asked if they could sing. A quick word with the steward who asked the other passengers and it was approved.

Wes got out his pitch pipe (“Does he carry his gavel in there, too?” one of the Warblers was heard to ask) and they were singing.

It wasnt a long flight, and the boys were happy to sing. The other passengers seemed to appreciate their impromptu concert and applauded when the boys were done. At some point, Kurt leaned over to whisper to Blaine, “Where are Jeff and Seb?”

Blaines eyes went to the restroom just behind the seats the couple in question had been seated in. Blaines eyebrows arched and Kurts eyes got wide as he contemplated the size of the tiny restroom. He giggled and continued to sing with the Warblers.

“You okay, Blaine? Kurt asked. Blaine had not joined much in the singing and was still looking pale as they snapped into the seatbelts ready to land.

“Yeah, Beau. Im fine,” he said, but it wasnt convincing.

On the ground, Mrs Barnes and Prof Rosenblum, the other chaperon, gathered the boys together. They found the drivers they had hired to take them into the city and divided them into two groups to ride in the vans. Kurt and Blaine were together, holding hands and Kurt could feel how tightly Blaine was holding on to him. He was getting worried, but this was not the place to ask questions, so he put a supportive arm around Blaine and sat close to him.

At the hotel, Mrs Barnes assigned the boys their rooms, allowing them to choose with whom to bunk. She and Prof Rosenblum were sharing a room in the center of the floor.

“We will meet in the lobby for supper at St Anselm Steak House, then back here to the hotel for a night in before the week of shows and sight seeing,” she smiled. These boys were mostly of age – eighteen – and she had few worries. Kurt and Blaine shared a dorm room already, so she knew that was not something she had to take a particular interest in. She had a suspicion that Trent had a crush on one of these boys, but she didnt know which one, and she felt it wise to watch Jeff and Seb. She had known Sebs parents for years and knew he could be trouble if left alone for too long. He had a good heart, but something in him just loved trouble. She suspected that it was the only way he could get attention at home. With a sigh, she turned to walk to her room, Elenora Rosenblum was probably already unpacked and taking a nap.

“Come here,” Kurt coaxed his boyfriend. They were in their room, clothes hung up and texts sent to their families to let them know they had landed safely and were at the hotel. Blaine walked over to the bed, took off his shoes and jacket, and sat down next to Kurt.

Kurt had pulled back the covers, and now patted the mattress next to him. Without another word, he gathered Blaine close and kissed his forehead. Blaine melted into Kurts side, heaving a sigh, as though he was at the end of a long road.

“Well, I know Im handsome, but you already knew that...” Kurt started to tease, but one look at Blaines face and he could tell that wasnt the right tack to take. “Whats wrong, Bee? Youve been acting funny since we got to the airport,” he said softly, stroking down Blaines cheek.

“Im sorry. Its just something on my mind. Ill be okay in a little while,” Blaine tried to smile, but failed miserably.

“Was it the plane? Are you afraid to fly?” Kurt asked, wondering if this was a fear that Blaine hadnt disclosed to him, maybe because his parents had perished in an airplane accident. Kurt felt bad that he had forgotten that. He wondered if this was the first time Blaine had been back in an airplane since the accident.

“No.” Blaine said, perhaps a bit more bluntly than he had meant to.

“Then what is it? Im here for you, Bee. God knows Ive cried on your shoulder often enough, cant I be here for you, too? Being a couple means we can take turns being the strong one, right?” he asked, looking into Blaines eyes and seeing something there – but it wasnt fear, it was more like sadness.

“Yeah, I know, Beau. You are always there for me. This is just.....I dont know if I can talk about it without breaking down, and we have a supper planned at a fancy restaurant tonight.”

“You know we can skip that. Ill give Mrs Barnes a call, it wont be a problem. Well sample the room service instead,” Kurt suggested. The thought of taking Blaine to a fancy place with all the guys seeing him this vulnerable...well, maybe that wouldnt be the best idea.

“Blaine?”

“Okay. Ive been to New York before. Last time it was for my birthday. My parents took me to see a Broadway show and to see the sights. It was the last time I saw them. I was back at school in Columbus – the school I went to before Cooper put me in Dalton – and they flew out the next day. You know what happened next – the crash. And I never saw them again,” he shared. Kurt kissed his cheek.

“Oh, baby...Im so sorry. Why didnt you tell me before? We didnt have to come along. Why didnt you tell the guys when they were planning this trip?” Kurt asked.

Blaine sighed.

“I didnt want to be the crepe hanger, you know? I wanted to support what they wanted. I suggested a few other things, but majority rules. I didnt think it was fair to make them change their minds just for me,” Blaine confessed.

Kurt had no idea what to say, so he just cuddled closer to Blaine. He held his boyfriends head close to his chest, rubbing along the back of his neck in the place where worry always made itself at home. Blaine just sat there, the tension in his muscles holding him stiff in spite of Kurts gentle hands.

“Hey, let me up for a minute, Bee,” Kurt asked, making his way to the bathroom.

He shut the door and got out his cell phone, dialing quickly.

*

“Mrs Barnes?”

….....

“Is it okay if Blaine and I skip supper tonight? He isnt feeling well.”

…....

“No, its more that hes upset. You know about his folks,” Kurt said, knowing Blaine had stayed with the Barnes family just after his parents had died in the airplane crash, “He had been with them in New York just before...oh, yes. He said you knew, that he had stayed with you. Well, hes thinking about them and he isnt up to seeing all the guys right now.”

…....

“Yeah, I think hell be okay. I can stay here with him and just order room service.”

…...

“I dont mind. Yes, I can handle this I think, but if I find I cant, Ill call you.”

…..

“Thank you, Mrs Barnes. Yes, well call before we go to sleep tonight. Have a fun supper.”

…..

*

Kurt used the facilities and washed his face. He was in a quandary as to what to do. Blaine had been his rock, the person he leaned on whenever the negatives in his life loomed up and threatened to overwhelm him. He used to rely on his father, and he still did from time to time – but Blaine was fast taking his dads place in making Kurt feel secure and safe in his world.

Now it was his turn to be the rock, and Kurt was terrified that he wouldnt be able to stand steady the way Blaine always did for him.

He thought about calling his dad. Burt Hummel was every bit the hero Kurt had pictured him as from his first memories. Kurt always felt safe in his fathers arms, and he wanted in the worst way to be that person for Blaine today. He even took out the phone again, intent on calling his dad for advice – but at the last moment he heard Blaine whimper through the door. Hed already been in here for a while – he couldnt leave Blaine alone any longer. He straightened his spine and went back into the room.

“Hey, Bee,” he said quietly, “I called Mrs Barnes and she said it was fine if we stayed here instead of going to supper with the rest of the guys. We can order something from room service later, okay?”

Blaine nodded his head, not wanting to talk. He knew he was acting like a baby and he was embarrassed, but he didnt know how to stop.

“Lets get these clothes off of you, okay? Ill get our pajamas out and we can just sit in bed and watch a movie. Okay?”

Blaine nodded, scooting over to the side of the bed and unbuttoning his shirt. Kurts warm hands came to help, gently removing the nice clothes Blaine had worn for the trip and then helping him into his favorite Casper the Friendly Ghost pjs that had been a gift from Cooper last Christmas.

Kurt made short work of getting his own pjs on, then patted the mattress for Blaine to get back under the covers. He slid into the bed next to his boyfriend and held out his arms. Blaine dived into them, knowing that no matter what, Kurt was his sanctuary.

“Want to watch a movie?” Kurt asked. Blaine nodded, not caring about it but any excuse to just lie here in his Beaus arms was good enough for him.

Kurt found the remote and clicked the TV on, looking for a guide of what was playing. Blaine took it away, finding a station that played calming music.

“Now, Bee, tell me what youre thinking,” Kurt asked, placing tender kisses to the top of Blaines head as he listened.

“I just...I dont know....Im afraid,” he admitted, nuzzling his face into the safe space where Kurts shoulder and neck met.

“Oh, Blaine. Can you tell me what youre afraid of?” Kurt asked, running his fingers through Blaines hair.

“I keep thinking about my folks...and sometimes I cant remember what their voices sounded like, or how my dad smiled, or what my mom smelled like...Im scared Im forgetting them.”

“Oh, baby...I know how you feel. Did you know that when my mom died, Dad wouldnt give her clothes away? He kept them for over a year before my aunt came and did it for him. He moved her dresser to the basement. Her perfume had spilled in the top drawer and for so many years I would go and take the drawer out, then sit on the floor and sniff that perfume so I could remember her.”

Blaine looked up at him with sad eyes, knowing the feeling of wanting someone who had been taken from you.

“I did that until...” Kurt sniffed back tears of his own now, “..until it was gone. There isnt a whiff of the perfume left now. But, Bee...I can still remember. I sit in her garden on the bench Dad and I made for her, and I can smell the flowers when they bloom in late spring, I can hear the birds she used to feed. I found ways of helping me remember her. Maybe when we get back to Westerville, we can find things like that in your house, or maybe in other places where you were with them. Maybe I can help you remember?”

“Would you? Oh, Beau. I know Cooper wants to help me, he took over guardianship of me when he didnt have to. We had other relatives that offered. But he hates going in the house, it has been exactly as my parents left it the day they died. The only thing thats different is we took the furniture from the back parlor and the stuff from our bedrooms when we moved into the carriage house.”

“You might feel some sort of relief if you go back to the house, look at the things that remind you of the good times,” Kurt said, rubbing Blaines shoulder.

“Would you go with me?” Blaine said so softly that Kurt had to lean down to hear it.

“Yes, baby, Ill be with you. Ill hold your hand and stay by your side the whole time if you need me,” he assured Blaine.

Blaine closed his eyes. “Thank you....” he breathed.

Kurt settled down a bit more into the pillows, adjusting his position so his stump wasnt chaffing against the sheet. Blaine wiggled a bit, turning more towards Kurt and snuggling closer. He loved the sexy times, but more and more he found himself loving just being close to Kurt, feeling the warmth of his skin and breathing in the scent of his body. It was such a comfort to know Kurt was by his side when he needed him.

Over the years, Blaine had been one of those charming, friendly people who made friends easily. He loved joining the group, being a part of something. He joined the Warblers not just because he loved singing, but also for the companionship he felt with those boys. He joined the polo team for the same reason. But when he met Kurt, all of those things seemed to take a back seat.

Kurt was so easy to talk to. Oh, he had his less than ideal quirks – he could be snarky and irritable when he was hurting, but Blaine knew that was just a defense mechanism and he was learning how to jolly Kurt back into his usual good mood. Kurt could be quick to judge, but he was aware of it and tried to curb that particular trait. But the positive things about Kurts personality outweighed the negative and Blaine loved every aspect of Kurt.

Trent had told him one evening when Kurt was in Lima that he believed Blaine and Kurt were soulmates. Blaine had held on to that ever since and it helped him on the days when he was missing his family. Blaine was thinking about that as he felt his body relaxing from the tense and stressful day. Kurt must have felt it, too, because he asked Blaine if he was feeling better.

“Yeah, I am. Thank you, Kurt. Im sorry I messed up the supper at the restaurant with the guys, though.”

“Id rather be here with you, Bee. Id always rather be with you.”

Blaine smiled at the statement, feeling the warmth of Kurts words wrap around him like a blanket, soft and safe. He tilted his head up and kissed along his boyfriends jaw, licking over the place under his ear that sent shivers racing across Kurts skin. Then he reached up a hand to guide Kurts face closer and kissed his lips, feeling the satiny smoothness of them. Kurt kissed back, making that humming noise in the back of his throat that meant he was happy.

Kurt kissed him once more, then shifted so Blaines head was back on his shoulder.

“Close your eyes, baby. Youre tired. Ill wake you up in an hour or so and we can order supper, okay?”

“Yes, that sounds good. Im so tired,” Blaine sighed, closing his eyes. Kurt kissed each of his eyelids and closed his own eyes. He thought about his mother for a moment, about the days when Kurt was sad and he cuddled close to her. She would sing him a lullaby as he fell asleep, her fingers combing through his hair. Kurt reached up to play in Blaines curls. He always calmed down when Kurt did this. The words to a lullaby came to Kurt and he sang quietly to Blaine:

“Come stop your crying
It will be all right
Just take my hand
Hold it tight

I will protect you
from all around you
I will be here
Dont you cry

For one so small,
you seem so strong
My arms will hold you
keep you safe and warm
This bond between us
cant be broken
I will be here
Dont you cry

Cause youll be in my heart
Yes, youll be in my heart
From this day on
Now and forever more

Youll be in my heart
No matter what they say
Youll be here
in my heart always
Always”

By the time the song was done, Blaine was sound asleep. Kurt smiled, hoping he had made a difference. He kissed his Bee once more very tenderly on his soft lips and slipped off to dreamland, too.

~KB~KB~KB~KB~KB~

There was a knock at the door, but Kurt didnt hear it for a while. It got louder before he finally blinked awake. Eight oclock. Hed been asleep for three hours, snuggled up with Blaine - who was still sound asleep. Kurt untangled himself from Blaine and scooted to the side of the bed, quickly attaching his prosthesis and getting up.

“Im coming,” he said in a stage whisper, not wanting Blaine to wake up.

The knocking stopped as Kurt straightened his pajamas over the leg and walked to the door. He opened it a peep, looking to see who was out there.

“Oh, Trent,” he said, “How was supper?”

“It was great, but we really missed you two. Mom told me Blaine wasnt feeling well, but I brought you guys supper just in case,” Trent said, standing in the hallway, Nick just behind him.

“Hes still asleep, but you can come in if you dont wake him up,” Kurt said, not sure what to do. He didnt want to reject Trents kindness, but he wasnt sure if Blaine was ready for company.

Trent came in, Nick trailing behind a bit. Kurt turned after closing the door to go back to the bed and check on Blaine. He was waking up, stretching his arms and yawning. He put a hand over his mouth when he realized they had company.

“Hi, Blaine. We just brought you something to eat. We can go back to our room if were disturbing you,” Trent offered as Kurt took the two styrofoam boxes from Nickys hands.

“No, stay. I was just tired,” Blaine said.

“Oh, Mom said you werent feeling well. Is there anything I can do?” Trent asked, looking worried. While his mother didnt say what was wrong with Blaine, Trent had seen him on the plane and guessed what the problem was.

“No, no...Kurt is taking care of me,” Blaine said. Nicky got a grin on his face and rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, we know what you mean by taking care of. Kurt, leave the poor man some strength for tomorrow,” Nick kidded, wiggling his eyebrows. Blaine burst out with a loud laugh.

“Oh, you only wish, Duval. Whatsamatta? You jealous?” Blaine asked, winking at Trent, who blushed dark red.

Nick laughed, too.

“Id tell you, but I dont want my sweetie to have a heart attack,” he said, patting Trent on the shoulder and kissing his cheek.

“What did you bring us?” Blaine asked as Kurt brought the boxes over and sat on the bed next to Blaine. Trent and Nicky sat down on the chairs beside the bed.

“Ribeye steak with mushroom sauce, baked potato, and sautéed summer squash with browned butter sauce. I hope you eat beef, Kurt. I forgot how you usually dont eat much meat,” Trent said.

“No, I love steak. I limit how much of it I eat, but I do eat it on special occasions. Thank you,” Kurt smiled.

Trent pulled two cans of Coke out of his pockets and handed them to the boys.

“The guys want to walk down to the ice cream parlor over a few streets around nine if you want to join us?” Nick asked. Kurt and Blaine exchanged looks.

“Yeah, that sounds like fun,” Blaine accepted. There wasnt much that could get between Blaine and a dish of ice cream.

“Okay, well meet you two in the lobby about nine then,” Trent confirmed.

“See you then,” Nick said, getting up and taking Trents hand as they left Blaine and Kurt to their supper.

“Lucky for us this steak is tender enough to cut with my fork,” Blaine mentioned. They only had plastic forks to eat it with, but that wasnt stopping them from devouring the meal.

“Wow, that was great. Did you leave room for ice cream?” Blaine asked.

“Of course! You know I love ice cream almost as much as you do, Bee,” Kurt said.

They had gotten up and dressed before eating and were ready to go to the ice cream shop.

“We better go...you know they wont wait for us,” Kurt giggled, taking Blaines hand and trying to hurry him out the door.

“Youre feeling better?” Kurt asked when Blaine was slow to follow.

“Yeah. I was feeling so sad, but you were there for me, Beau. You made me feel so much better, Kurt. I love you,” Blaine said, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes, threatening to spill.

“Oh, baby..dont cry now!” Kurt said, his worry showing all over his face as he turned back to hug Blaine.

“Im okay, Beau. I just...I dont know how to tell you how much it meant to me that you were there for me. You let me cry and you didnt rush away...you are the best boyfriend I could ever have,” Blaine said softly, hugging Kurt back.

“You better believe it, Bee, I will always be there when you need me. Just whistle....you know how to whistle, dont you? You just put your lips together and...blow,” Kurt said in his best imitation of Lauren Bacall.

Blaine giggled and kissed Kurts cheek. “Thanks, Slim.”

Kurt grinned, happy that Blaine got his movie reference to the movie they had watched last week.

“I adore you, Beau,” he said, finally smiling. Kurt smiled back and took his hand as they walked down to the lobby to meet the rest of their friends.

~*~*~*~*~*

The movie is “To Have and to Have Not” starring Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart.