It was the last night before their last day of school. They would be graduating from high school in three days. An odd sensation settled heavily in the air around Kurt and Blaine as they sat on the swings at the park down the road from Kurt's house. The couple vaguely recognized the sensation as change. They were quiet for a long while as they watched the sun set, hand in hand as they swung back and forth on the swings. The end of May air was warm and thick and the metal chains under their other hands were uncomfortably hot.

"You think we'll find a playground in New York?"

Blaine finally turned to gaze at Kurt, his eyes filled to the brim with something like love and nostalgia. "Definitely."

Kurt nodded and kept his eyes on the horizon.

"I never thought I'd say this," Kurt spoke as the very slight breeze blew over their faces, "but I'll miss this place."

"I don't think that's so strange."

"Isn't it?" Kurt wondered with a raised eyebrow. "I was tormented here. For years."

"But your family's here too," Blaine reminded him. "And this is where you made friends, good friends that you'll want to keep in touch with the rest of your life."

"Yeah…" Kurt trailed off. "It's also where I fell in love with you."

Blaine allowed a sad smile to spread across his lips and he leaned his head on the chain of the swing, heedless of the way his curls got a bit caught in the metal.

"But we'll be together," Blaine said softly. "You can always take memories with you. They aren't stuck here."

"Yeah," Kurt agreed, lowering his head to watch his feet kick across the ground. "We've been through a lot, haven't we?"

"Some would say we've been through too much," Blaine nodded, "especially in the small span of a year and a half."

"But we're here," Kurt said, his eyes kind of glassy when he finally turned them to Blaine.

"Yeah," Blaine whispered. "We are."

Kurt eventually smiled, caressing Blaine's knuckle with his thumb. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he admitted, not for the first time.

Blaine grinned. "I know how you feel."

They turned their eyes back to the slowly setting sun and sat for a bit in silence again, simply enjoying this moment. It was quite appropriate that they would spend this time on a playground, of all places; it was like they were saying goodbye.

But not to each other.

Definitely not to each other.

They were simply saying goodbye to a town they'd filled with good times and bad times, to school, to friends, to foes, to ignorance and bigotry. Kurt was sure they'd stumble across plenty of awful things and people in New York, people that wouldn't accept them, but he also knew that New York was a far easier place to be a couple than in small-town-Ohio.

They were also saying goodbye to their childhood.

Kurt had spent his entire life here. And Blaine had spent a majority of it in Ohio as well. As horrible a time the two boys had had prior to finding each other, they'd grown into a remarkable young couple, full of integrity, charm, and a love for a world that didn't necessarily accept them for who they are. Because that's what you do when you grow up. Things are no longer black and white and the shades of gray in between are more prevalent, more obvious. Before, the world had simply been unfair. But there were doors they had yet to open, there were curtains that had yet to be pulled back and they were slowly coming to the realization that the world wasn't all good and bad, right and wrong, up and down; there were the in betweens and they hadn't explored those yet. And maybe that's what signified the slow transition from young boys to young men.

Kurt was glad he would get to spend this transition with someone he could trust and love and hold onto when things got to be just a little too much.

After a few more minutes, they walked back to Kurt's house, hand in hand and in a comfortable, almost poignant silence.

The last day at school was a definitely one to remember. Classes were pointless and they shouldn't have even called them classes because there was no more teaching to be done.

"So where'd you decide to go to school?" Kurt asked Jared as they sat in Physic class for the very last time together.

"A little place called UCLA," Jared replied with a happy smile.

"Oh, that's great!" Kurt said excitedly. "You'll be near Mercedes!"

"Yeah!" Jared nodded enthusiastically. "It's gonna be awesome."

"I'm happy for you," Kurt said genuinely.

"Yeah," Jared said, the smile slipping from his face. "I…Kurt…I just wanted to – to say thank you."

Kurt's eyebrows shot up. "What for?"

"For everything," Jared said quietly. "Without you…Kurt, you – you helped me become this person. You showed me who I really was or, you helped show me who I really am. I'm finally graduating and I'm going to college and I'm…more sure of myself than I've ever been in my entire life."

"Jared…"

"And you saved my life." Jared hung his head. "I would've died that day. I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't have you and Blaine and Mercedes and Santana. I wouldn't be going to college. I wouldn't have my parents. I wouldn't have anything at all."

Kurt had to bite his lip to keep the tears at bay but then he reached over and pulled Jared in a fierce hug.

"You better come visit me in New York," was all Kurt said. "Promise."

"I promise," Jared said tearfully into Kurt's ear. "I swear it."

They parted and Jared pressed a quick kiss to Kurt's cheek, not caring at all if anyone in the room saw.

"You've been the best friend I've ever had, Kurt Hummel," Jared said with sincerity.

Kurt's breath hitched and he couldn't stop himself from hugging Jared once more before the bell rang.

In government, Mr. Paige was touched when Kurt and Blaine handed him a card in an envelope, expressing their gratitude for him, along with a glass apple figurine.

The leaf of the apple was painted in a rainbow.

When Glee club came around, both Brittany and Rachel were already crying at the thought of never being together in that room with all of their friends again.

"We'll see each other again," Mr. Schue assured the girls with a miserable smile of his own. "Don't worry."

The two girls nodded and locked pinkies.

"I wanted to give you each a certificate," Mr. Schuester announced when everyone was seated in the choir room. "I'm…so proud of you all. We won Nationals, guys. And I can only hope the group that comes in to take your places will be half as talented and half as amazing as you. So…here."

He handed them each a certificate. Kurt read what was printed on the front.

This Certificate is Presented to:

Kurt Hummel

For his participation, perseverance, and excellence

As a member of New Directions,

The William McKinley High School Glee Club,

The 2012 National Champions.

"Glee, by its very definition, is about opening yourself up to joy."

Tears welled in Kurt's eyes that day for about the billionth time and he couldn't resist the urge to stand and hug his teacher. Because, as reticent as Will Schuester could be on occasion, he was the first teacher to see more in Kurt.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered.

"You deserve everything, Kurt. Everything."

Kurt nodded and pulled away, wiping at his tear-stained cheeks with his hand. Mr. Schue clapped a hand on Kurt's shoulder and then addressed the rest of the class.

"We should rehearse the number you're all going to perform at graduation."

So between the tears, the laughter, the hugs and the memories, they did just that.

Kurt was cleaning out his locker, sure to be gentle with the picture of Blaine and the courage collage as he placed his belongings in a small box. Blaine returned, having dropped off his own possessions in Kurt's Navigator.

"We get to sleep in tomorrow," Blaine said with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Kurt snorted. "This is our last day in high school and that's all you can think about?"

"Hey, we're meeting everyone at Breadstix tonight for dinner. It's not like we're missing anyone else."

"Still," Kurt said, slamming the locker door shut with his shoulder, trying to keep a hold of the box in his hands. "It's…done."

"Not until we walk across that stage on Saturday," Blaine reminded him.

They walked slowly to Kurt's car and Blaine pulled the back door open so that Kurt could settle his box in the seat. Blaine slammed the door closed and they turned to look one last time at McKinley High.

"We'll come back to visit," Blaine assured his boyfriend, leaning over to kiss his shoulder. "We have to see Mr. Schue."

"Yeah," Kurt nodded. "Let's go."

They drove home.

Later that evening, the entire Glee club met up at Breadstix. It wasn't like everyone was moving away immediately, but Mike and Tina were doing a study abroad program and they'd be leaving next week, so this was the last chance they'd all have to hang out together.

"Oh god, remember that one song we tried to do?" Mercedes was saying. "The one before Finn joined and we had those nasty ass gloves?"

"It was horrible," Rachel remembered.

"We totally sucked," Artie agreed.

"How many of you were there in the beginning?" Blaine asked.

"Five," Kurt answered. "It was really, really bad."

"And then I joined and saved the day!" Finn said with a cocky grin as he stretched his arms over his head and let one settle around Rachel's shoulders.

"Full of yourself, much?" Tina jabbed good naturedly.

"Whatever dudes, we totally shot to stardom when I joined," Puck put in, popping his collar.

"We never shot to stardom," Mercedes reminded them. "Bottom of the heap."

"Some of us were Cheerios," Quinn said. "We weren't all bottom of the heap."

"You joined Glee club," Tina teased. "From that moment, you lived full time with us in our sub basement."

Everyone continued to bicker and pick on each other as Blaine leaned over to Kurt. "Thank you for bringing me here."

Kurt smiled and nodded to his boyfriend. "I'm glad you came here."

A couple hours and about one hundred breadsticks later, the friends all departed, tears in their eyes and promises to keep in contact after graduation.

That night, Kurt was picking a song to play on his ipod while Blaine watered Herman, who had come to stay with Klaine the fish for the few days Blaine was staying at Kurt's.

"It's going to take me forever to pack," Kurt said. "I have so many clothes."

"Just throw them all in giant trash bags and toss them in your car."

Kurt stared at Blaine with a terrified expression.

"Kidding!"

Releasing a breath, Kurt reached over to snatch a pillow off his bed and then proceeded to smack Blaine in the face with it.

"If it's a pillow fight you want, you'd best prepare yourself, Hummel. I'm ace at pillow fights."

"How can anyone be – oompf!"

Blaine brought the attack pillow away from Kurt's shocked face.

"Need anymore proof?"

"Screw you."

"Noted."

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Kurt asked as he settled himself on his bed. Blaine took his cue and tossed the pillow onto the bed and joined Kurt, cuddling up next to him and resting his head on his lover's shoulder.

"Anything we want," Blaine said, draping his arm over Kurt's stomach. "My parents want all of us to have dinner, though."

"All of us?"

"Both of our families. My mom wants to cook."

"That's nice of her. I can help if-"

"No," Blaine said immediately. "I already offered your services. She wants to do it all herself. Just let your parents know tomorrow."

"Okay," Kurt relented.

They settled into another comfortable silence, Damien Rice's 'Delicate' drifting through the ipod dock speakers. Blaine cuddled closer to Kurt (if that was even physically possible) and nuzzled his nose against Kurt's neck, kissing lightly on his collar bone. Kurt let his fingers stroke through Blaine's dark, fluffy curls.

"I like this song," Blaine said quietly.

"It's kind of sad."

"Yeah, but it's pretty."

"It is," Kurt agreed. "I remember that one night when you had your guitar and you were strumming along with it."

Blaine nodded against his boyfriend's chest. "I remember that night."

"Mmm."

They both remembered that night. It seemed like ages ago. It was a similar setting now, sans guitar, but that strange emotion still flowed through them and between them.

And they still didn't understand that it was love. It was true love, the kind of love that burns your insides, the kind that's raw and wonderful, the kind that makes you shiver. You bleed that love and it's everywhere all the time and laced into every word that claws its way out of your throat to tumble out your lips. It's the kind of love that makes you cry and makes you laugh until you can't breathe. It resonates through every fiber of your being. It's the kind of love you can't get over, can't forget, can't let go. This love was the kind that would last.

In that very moment, the two young men were desperate to understand it. Their hearts and minds were linked somehow and Blaine tilted his head up to gaze into Kurt's eyes, perfectly able to see that Kurt didn't understand it either.

"Kurt. I don't-"

"I don't either," Kurt whispered in a ragged, broken voice. "It aches."

"But it's warm too."

"It's always warm. Whenever I look at you, I…"

"I want to learn you," Blaine breathed.

"I want to memorize you," Kurt whimpered.

"I want to breathe you."

"I want to marry you."

Blaine's breath hitched because…because…oh.

Kurt's sigh turned to a shudder.

So that's what it was. It was sheer, unbridled need. It was a deep desire to have and to hold and to be.

To be together.

For as long as the universe allowed.

They shared a common shift in their perceptions in that very second. Because this wasn't some half-hearted teenage dream. This was the real thing. It all made sense. Everything had suddenly changed. A misty haze had been lifted and everything made perfect sense. Childhood was over. The future was outrageously vivid.

And they knew, they knew they'd spend it together.

It was a beautiful thing, love. Especially when you really, finally began to understand how it affected your heart.

They cried when they made love that night.

Because they understood now.

The next day, they didn't sleep in like Blaine had mentioned before. They woke very early and curled up together on the back porch swing, coffee in hand, eyes bleary, and completely wrapped up in each other under a soft blanket.

The sun rose slowly on Lima, Ohio.

"This is where I want to be forever," Kurt admitted. "Not on the playground slide or in bed or in a hotel. This is what I want."

"I'll give it to you," Blaine promised. "This is what we'll have forever."

"Coffee and a sunrise?"

Blaine smiled against Kurt's cheek. "Coffee and a sunrise," he repeated.

When the rest of the house stirred awake that morning, Kurt informed his family about Blaine's parents' plans for dinner and they all agreed it would be a wonderful idea before Burt and Carole left for work.

"So…what should we do today?" Kurt wondered as they sat at the kitchen table, both men on their third cup of coffee.

"Um…I don't know," Blaine said.

They sat there trying to figure out what to do with their day. This wasn't like skipping school or the beginning of summer because…well, it just wasn't. They didn't know what to do with themselves. Blaine drummed his fingers on the sides of his coffee cup. Kurt nodded his head for no reason.

"This is ridiculous," Kurt finally spoke after a prolonged silence. "There's plenty to do."

"There is?"

"Of course there is."

"…Like what?"

"…"

Blaine tossed his head back and laughed loudly.

"Shut up."

"We could have sex all day," Blaine suggested.

"We have sex all the time."

"So you want to do something we don't always do?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know, really."

"Well…" Blaine scooted his chair closer to Kurt and leaned his head forward. "How about you just kiss me until we figure it out?"

"Oh?"

"Mhmm," Blaine said, brushing their noses together.

"I suppose I could do that," Kurt smiled, closing the last inch of space between them, their lips meeting languidly in the middle. He felt Blaine moan against his lips, mumbling something about 'always coffee'.

Kurt slid a warm hand down to Blaine's wrist, the pad of this thumb brushing against the sensitive skin before trailing it up his lover's arm, across his shoulder, and then up to tangle in his hair. Blaine opened his mouth and sighed, allowing Kurt's tongue to sneak out and lick wetly at his lips before slipping inside to tickle at Blaine's palate. Kurt sucked Blaine's tongue between his lips.

Blaine groaned at the heat of their mouths mixing and the way Kurt's soft lips felt around his tongue. He snuck his hands around Kurt's waist and slid them up under his shirt. This was really nice, Blaine decided. Kurt's skin was warm under his fingertips and they had all the time in the world today and -

"Oh my god, this is why I always think you two are going at it," Finn said loudly as he wandered into the kitchen to open the refrigerator door. "Because you are going at it."

Kurt released his hold on Blaine's tongue and the hung their heads forward together, their foreheads colliding.

"Making out is not going at it," Kurt stated.

"Close enough," Finn shot back.

Kurt grumbled something under his breath and leaned back away from Blaine.

"Whatever. What are you doing today?"

"Mom's making me go shopping for something to wear to gradu-"

"Shopping!" Kurt jumped up excitedly. "Why didn't I think of that? C'mon, Blaine, let's go get ready."

As Kurt dragged him out of the room, he shot Finn a pleading, desperate look but Finn only laughed in return.

They spent the entire day shopping. Finn was going freaking insane at the amount of stores they went into and all Blaine wanted was one of those giant cookies from the cookie stand thing in the food court at the mall.

"Kurt it's like, six, can we please go home?"

"Six?" Blaine piped up, his eyes surprised. "We're supposed to be at my parents' house for dinner at seven!"

"Oh shit," Kurt said, dropping the scarf in his hand back onto the table before the three of them shot out of the store and out of the mall. He checked his phone as they climbed into his SUV. "Oh damnit, I missed three calls from dad." He dialed his father back. "…Hi dad…no, I'm sorry I didn't hear my phone…we were shopping for outfits for tomorrow…yes, we're on our way home…what…no, I won't take long to get ready. We'll be home soon." He snapped his phone shut. "Why does everyone think it takes hours for me to get ready?"

Blaine shared a look with Finn, who was sitting in the back seat. He turned to face forward again and smiled.

"What's that smile supposed to mean?" Kurt asked.

"Nothing at all, dear."

"Uh huh."

Kurt sped home and they all jumped out of the car.

"Blaine, honey," Carole stopped him right before he disappeared into Kurt's room. "Should I wear something a little more classy?"

Blaine looked at her dress and smiled broadly. "You look perfect, Carole. I'm not wearing anything fancy."

"You're sure?"

"Positive," Blaine replied, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles.

"You're too much, Mr. Anderson," Carole giggled.

See, Blaine could be dapper!

He raced downstairs to change into his favorite black button-up shirt while Kurt continued fussing with his hair in front of his vanity.

"Kurt, you look fine. My parents have seen you a million times."

"Yeah, but it's like a pre-graduation dinner. I want to look nice."

"You look nice all the time."

"Says you who have seen me naked."

"Exactly. And you look nice like that too."

"You're incorrigible."

"I'm just honest."

"Flattery will get you everywhere."

"Kurt, we need to go."

"Okay, okay!" Kurt said, spraying his hair with hairspray once more.

Blaine tugged his boyfriend back upstairs and met the rest of the family by the door.

"I feel underdressed," Finn admitted.

"This isn't some fancy dinner party," Blaine reminded them. "It really is just dinner. I swear. My father won't even wear a suit jacket."

Everybody stared at that last bit.

"Okay, for him that's a big thing."

"Let's just go," Kurt said. "We're already going to be late."

They piled into Kurt's Navigator because, for some reason, Kurt wanted to drive and everyone just sort of went along with it.

"I don't know why you guys are so nervous," Blaine said, confusion evident in his words. "You've met them plenty times before."

"I dunno," Burt admitted. "This just seems different. More ah…official. We haven't had a family thing before. With both of our families, I mean."

Blaine shrugged. Kurt turned on the radio and continued driving. When they pulled into the Anderson's driveway and everyone climbed out, Blaine pulled Burt aside.

"You guys go ahead," Blaine said. "We'll be inside in a minute."

"But, Blaine-"

"Kurt it's fine," Blaine assured. "Just ring the bell."

Kurt gave his boyfriend an odd look but continued up the drive and to the front door, ringing the doorbell.

"Kurt, dear!" Cassandra greeted happily. "We're so glad you all made it!"

"Sorry we're late, Cassandra," Carole apologized. "The boys were out shopping for clothes to wear to graduation tomorrow."

"Oh no, it's not a problem at all. Come in, come in…where's Blaine?"

"Talking to my dad," Kurt said as they walked inside. "I couldn't tell you why."

"I'm sure they'll be along," Blaine's mother said. "We're having drinks in the sitting room first, if that's quite alright."

"Drinks sound wonderful," Carole smiled as they made their way into what Blaine referred to as the living room. "Harold," she greeted the man who was already pouring himself a bit of scotch.

"Carole, lovely to see you again! Can I get you a drink?"

He was, indeed, not wearing a suit jacket that night.

"Harold, you should get that bottle of wine I've been meaning to open," Cassandra said, urging everyone to have a seat. "He doesn't appreciate wine the way we do."

"Neither does Burt," Carole said with a grin.

"Can I have a drink too?" Finn asked.

"Not tonight," Carole returned.

Finn sighed and sat back into the sofa next to his mother. "Okay."

"If you'd like, Finn, we have sodas in the kitchen," Cassandra informed.

Finn perked up at that and smiled when Cassandra called to her husband to grab a few sodas and bottles of mineral water for those underage.

"So," Cassandra began, "it's hard to believe our boys are done with high school."

"It is," Carole nodded. "And Kurt and Blaine will be moving so far away."

"What about me?" Blaine asked when he and Burt finally walked into the room.

"We were just talking about you boys going off to New York, darling," Blaine's mother said, greeting him with a kiss on the cheek.

No matter how hard he tried, every time Cassandra reference to Blaine as 'darling', Kurt couldn't get the image of a faded blue baby blanket out of his head. The image warmed his heart.

"When are you boys leaving for the Big Apple?" Harold asked as he wandered back in the living room with the drinks and the wine, setting them on the drink cart near the fireplace.

"In July," Blaine said, pouring two glasses of mineral water and handing one to Kurt with a smile. He handed Finn a bottle of root beer.

"So we'll get to spend a bit more time with you, then?" his father wondered.

"As if you're not ready to have me out of your hair," Blaine teased.

"Darling, don't say things like that," Cassandra said. "We're going to miss you terribly."

"I'm going to miss you too, mom," Blaine said sadly, sliding over to perch himself on the arm of the chair he was sitting in.

"We're gonna miss you both," Burt said with a nod. He held Blaine's gaze for a second too long and Kurt noticed.

"What did you guys have to talk about?" Kurt finally asked suspiciously.

Burt gave Blaine a barely perceptible nod and the younger man stood and walked over to Kurt.

He got down on one knee.

Kurt stopped breathing.

"I know we're young," Blaine began, everyone else's eyes glued to the couple. "I know we're really young. And one day I'll do this properly. I'll have a ring for you and you'll have romance and maybe a bunch of roses. But when it happens, we probably won't be around our families so I…wanted to do this first."

Kurt's eyes were wide and his hands were shaking when Blaine took the glass out of Kurt's hand and placed it on the end table. He pulled Kurt's fingers into his own and smiled.

"I love you, Kurt. I love you…more than anything in this world. You're…you're my world," he said in a whisper. "I asked your dad if…if it was okay. I asked your dad if it was okay to marry you one day. Because I don't know when I'll get another chance to ask him and I…this isn't my real proposal. But after…last night…I just wanted to tell you that I want it too. I want you and I want you forever. I want to marry you some day. And I…I just wanted you to know. And I wanted everyone to know."

Kurt was having trouble blinking back tears.

No, it wasn't a marriage proposal. Thank god it wasn't a marriage proposal because, hello, he was only seventeen. But for Blaine to ask his dad and for Blaine to say all these things and the fact that Blaine wanted it and he wanted a real future, not just a teenagers-under-the-sheets-in-the-dark-thinking-they-knew-everything-ever kind of future…it was kind of the most amazing thing that had happened to him since he met Blaine Anderson.

"I don't expect you to…I just wanted to say it out loud. Because it's real," Blaine said. "We're real. And I think we can make it."

Kurt nodded, tears in his eyes and he stood with Blaine, wrapping him in his arms and pressing his lips to his lover's ear.

"Coffee and a sunrise?"

"Thousands," Blaine returned softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Kurt laughed lightly and pulled back just far enough so that he could press their lips together gently in a sweet, chaste kiss.

"You take care of my kid in that city," Burt finally interrupted them. "Just like you promised."

"I will," Blaine nodded, brushing a stray tear away from his face. "I will."

Cassandra stood and enveloped the boys in a hug. "I'll be proud to call you both my sons one day."

"Thank you," Kurt whispered.

"Dude," Finn broke in, "your wedding…is going to be epic."

It was graduation day and Kurt was vibrating with nerves as they stood around in the room they were holding all the graduates in. The dinner the night before and preparations for the day this morning had rushed by so quickly that Kurt could barely remember anything up until this very moment. How did it all go so fast?

"I'm nervous. Why am I nervous? This is stupid."

"It's not stupid," Blaine shook his head. "I'm nervous too. I don't know why."

"Oh great. You're supposed to tell me to calm down!"

"Well you have to tell me to calm down too because I'm freaking out."

"How about you both calm down," Jared said, adjusting his graduation cap. "Wow. We all look really good in red."

Kurt and Blaine looked down at themselves, over at each other, and back to Jared.

"Nice," Kurt said.

"It's true," Jared shrugged.

Someone shouted at all the chattering students to get in line the way they had rehearsed the week before and Kurt bid Blaine farewell as Blaine stood near the front of the line. Kurt's palms were sweating when they all began to file out into the arena. This was it. It was all ending and it was all coming to a close so quickly. He gave a small wave to his parents and also Blaine's when he walked out with his line buddy. They were all eventually seated and Principal Figgins began to drone on about something and there were so many speeches.

Finally, the National title-holding Glee Club was called to the stage to perform their song. The members of New Directions marched over to the set of risers and a few microphones that had been set up, greeting each other with watery smiles as they turned to face their class and locked hands.

The music started and Finn started them off, his clear voice echoing throughout the giant room through the speakers.

For those days we felt like a mistake,
Those times when loves what you hate,
Somehow,
We keep marching on.

For those nights when I couldn't be there,
I've made it harder to know that you know,
That somehow,
We'll keep moving on.

Everyone's voices joined Finn's and it was just so fucking perfect that Kurt wanted to remember this moment forever.

There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things were not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that,
We're marching on,
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).

For all of the plans we've made,
There isn't a flag I'd wave,
Don't care if we bend,
I'd sink us to swim,
We're marching on,
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).

Kurt turned his eyes to Blaine next to him, gripping his hand tighter.

For those doubts that swirl all around us,
For those lives that tear at the seams,
We know,
We're not what we've seen,

For this dance we'll move with each other.
There ain't no other step than one foot,
Right in front of the other.

Everyone was doing their very best to not cry in the middle of their performance.

There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things we're not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that,
We're marching on,
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).

For all of the plans we've made,
There isn't a flag I'd wave,
Don't care if we bend,
I'd sink us to swim,
We're marching on,
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).

Right, right, right, right left right,
Right, right, right, right left right,
Right, right,
We're marching on.

We'll have the days we break,
And we'll have the scars to prove it,
We'll have the bonds that we save,
But we'll have the heart not to lose it.

For all of the times we've stopped,
For all of the things I'm not.

We put one foot in front of the other,
We move like we ain't got no other,
We go when we go,
We're marching on.

There's so many wars we fought,
There's so many things we're not,
But with what we have,
I promise you that,
We're marching on,
(We're marching on)
(We're marching on).

This was it. This was it, it was ending it was almost over and everything was rushing together and it was almost too hard to handle.

Right, right, right, right left right,
Right, right, right, left, right,
Right, right,
We're marching on.

Right, right, right, right left right,
Right, right, right, left, right,
Right, right,
We're marching on.

And then…it was over.

By the time they finished, it sounded like half their class and everyone in the audience around them had started crying and a raucous applause filled the air. They bowed, smiles still plastered on their faces as they returned to their seats. It was a bittersweet moment because…well they just sang together for the last time. But the show had to go one and there was no time for tearful hugs so Kurt kissed Mercedes on the cheek as everyone sat back down.

Ugh, and then there were even more speeches and Kurt was nearly bored to tears by the time the first few rows were lining up to cross the stage. He saw Blaine turn and give him a huge smile and a goofy wave.

Dork, Kurt thought.

Adorable, beautiful, wonderful dork.

He heard Blaine's name being announced and watched as he walked with a refined elegance up the stairs and over to the principal to get his diploma, over to the Sue Sylvester who turned his tassle and gave him a pat on his butt, and right back down the opposite set of stairs.

Kurt didn't know how he could feel so proud of someone when he was about to do the exact same thing.

When Blaine was settled in his seat once more, he kept turning around and shooting Kurt small smiles until it was Kurt's row's turn to stand and line up.

Don't trip, don't trip, don't trip, he kept thinking as he neared closer and closer to the stairs.

He made it up on the stage successfully and when his name was called, he strode over to the principal and took his diploma with a grateful smile. He shook the man's hand and walked to Sue Sylvester and grinned when she turned his tassle.

"You made it out alive," she said into his ear. "Congrats, Porcelain."

Kurt decided that little nickname would apparently never be forgotten.

He waved to Blaine when he was safely off the stage and made his way back to his seat while the rest of their class received their diplomas.

That was it. It was over. So much fuss about something that took less than five minutes…and it was over. High school was done with.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Principal Figgins announced into the microphone, "I give you the William McKinley High School graduating class of two thousand and twelve. Congratulations."

Kurt stood, racing over to Blaine amidst the deafening cheers and they tossed their graduation caps into the air together.

The lyrics from the song they sang echoed in their minds.

We'll have the days we break,
And we'll have the scars to prove it,
We'll have the bonds that we save,
But we'll have the heart not to lose it.

They let the past go together, they let the bad times wash away in a sea of red and loving gazes and a single kiss to smiling lips.

Yeah.

They'd make it.

The End.

Epilogue:

Kurt Hummel-Anderson sat at his kitchen table, evening coffee on the tabletop and a newspaper in his hands. He was sure to see something about his new collection in the fashion section of this issue. But his eyes were tired so he let the paper fold over and when he did that, he caught a glimpse of his husband returning to the kitchen.

"How's Klaine the eighth?" Kurt wondered, taking a sip of his coffee.

"I think he's getting used to Herman the third. I keep seeing him swimming on the side of the vase that faces the fern."

"Charming."

"I thought so."

At that, a shrill little squeal of happiness filled the air.

A small girl came skipping around the corner into the kitchen, her dark curls, tied up in pigtails, bouncing around on her head as she gripped Blaine's leg.

"Daddy, daddy, can I have more?" she begged.

"I don't know, Kara," Blaine teased. "You just had a whole handful."

"Please, please, daddy just two more! Just two more and I won't ask for anything ever again, ever! Just two more gummy bears, please, daddy!"

"Kara, honey, you just had some. We're about to eat dinner," Kurt reminded their daughter.

But Kara bit her little lip and turned her large, blue owl eyes up to her other father. Blaine looked down at her and slid his hand into the gummy bear container, sneaking out two red ones and placed them in her marker-stained fingers with a secretive smile. She giggled in delight and skipped back off to her room, but not before Kurt could snatch her over and press a kiss to the top of her tea rose and almond scented curls.

Kurt raised an eyebrow as he gazed at Blaine over his coffee cup with a knowing smile.

Blaine shrugged and turned back to the stove.

"She looks like you when she pouts," Kurt said off handedly.

"She looks like you when she smiles."

"Funny, considering only one of us really contributed to making her."

"Love is a funny thing."

END.