Kurt woke up the next day to find an empty apartment and a cold space on the bed where Blaine had slept the night before but padding to the kitchen he found a little notelet on the kitchen counter.

Dear Kurt,

I've gone out to get food for Christmas and need to pop into work to finalise something. Make yourself comfortable and I've left something I've been working on if you wanted to read?

Should be back by 2 o'clock.

Love Blaine

Kurt looked at the clock to find it was only 10 so he made himself coffee and toast and picked up the pages that Blaine had indicated he read. They were titled 'A Tale of a Life' with 'a working title' next to it in brackets. Opening the pages Kurt started to read as he tucked his legs underneath him on the sofa. Hours went past and Kurt barely registered the time ticking as he read, occasionally making more coffee, unable to put the manuscript down. Eventually Blaine entered the apartment to find Kurt still reading, though near the end and tear tracks evident on his porcelain face.

"Oh you're reading it, what do you think?" Blaine said excitedly, dropping his bags in the kitchen and approaching Kurt's knees by sitting on the floor beneath him.

"Are the tears good?" Blaine asked, worried.

"Oh, yes Blaine," Kurt said hastily wiping his face, "It's fantastic! I didn't know you could write like this."

"Well shucks," Blaine rubbed his neck, "Thanks Kurt, I'm glad you like it, I was worried."

"It's soooo good, Blaine. I love how it tells his whole life story, that he was nothing without Charlie. You go so effortlessly from his life during National Service, to his life dealing with death and euthanasia. It's just so emotional, when he dies Blaine. I can't… how did you think of this?"

"I started it a while ago when I began to research National Service in Britain and I wanted to tell a different story about the army, about love I suppose. Do you really think it's good?" Blaine seemed incredulous.

"Are you serious? Of course it's great! How did work go?"

"Actually that's why I wanted you to read the manuscript. I gave it to a publishing guy at work today, he's more independent than the others and I already explained that I probably wouldn't have my father's backing and he knows I've quit but he was interested Kurt. He said he'd talk to his colleagues but he would be able to give me an advance for it, can you believe it?"

"I can Blaine, this is great. You'll be able to live through writing alone, finally." Kurt beamed so widely at Blaine that he couldn't help but do his happy dance as he put away the groceries. Kurt followed him to the kitchen.

"Is this all for Christmas day?"

"Yeah, I've got all the traditional things, the shops were rammed today," Blaine suddenly smiled again, "I can't believe it Kurt, everything's coming together."

Kurt smiled, only thinking of how he could make it here too.

xXx

The next day was spent leisurely as they walked to Place des Vosges, a garden with a fantastic fountain in the middle. Kurt kept saying how amazed he was at the French way of gardening: presenting such neat lines and rows of flowers and lawn. They sat on a blanket they had brought and drank coffee whilst eating their purchases from the tastiest p�tisserie 'Des G�teaux et du Pain' and listening to the Jazz musicians playing underneath the peculiar arches. Blaine lay comfortably on Kurt's chest with his back towards him as Kurt started stroking his curls.

"You should wear less gel more often," Kurt said, "It suits you, it's cute."

Blaine just sighed, he could get used to this.

"Have you thought anymore about what you're going to do here when you move?" Blaine asked, completely blissed out from the lovely head massage he was getting. Kurt's fingers stayed.

"What do you mean?" Kurt asked. Blaine sat up to face Kurt.

"Well you said the other day that you didn't want to leave, I assumed that meant you were staying?"

"I can't stay Blaine, I thought you knew that? Why would you assume I would leave New York?" Kurt's voice was rising in pitch the more misunderstood he felt and people nearest them had started to stare.

"I didn't assume Kurt; you said quite simply that you didn't want this to end."

"So you took that to mean that I would leave my home country, my ill father, all my friends and family and travel half way round the world for someone I've just met?" Kurt almost laughed.

"Is that how you see me? Someone you've 'just met?'" Blaine looked like he'd been kicked.

"No you're misunderstanding me, which you seem to be doing a lot lately," Kurt looked away, suddenly flustered and embarrassed with all the eyes looking at him.

"Ouch."

"Look Blaine, let's go, we can discuss this later." Kurt made to pick up their belongings and rubbish as Blaine continued to stare, at a loss as to how this had unravelled so quickly.

He got up abruptly and stood over Kurt, "You know what Kurt, here's the key, I'll see you later." The key landed on the grass softly and Blaine was gone.

Kurt just looked after him open mouthed and annoyed that he had been left to pick up the pieces. He made a speedy exit out of Place des Vosges and went back to Blaine's apartment to return his stuff.

He sat there for an hour, just thinking and worrying his lip underneath his teeth, waiting and annoyed. He was seething that he was waiting for Blaine, with nowhere to go, instead of discussing this properly like adults. Perhaps he had been mistaken that he could make a life with Blaine, wherever that would take them.

He decided to take a walk, texting Blaine to let him know he would be out of the apartment if he decided to return after his sulk. He walked a few miles, then realised there were only a few places he knew in Paris and decided to grab a drink at the piano bar Blaine had taken him to on their first night. Perhaps he'd be able to think there.

He walked in to find only a few people sitting at the bar, with just one solitary man at the piano. In the shadows he didn't look carefully at the piano, just walking to the bar to get a drink. He ordered and sat staring into his drink for several minutes until the keys of the piano could be heard, tinkling and making pleasing sounds. He turned to see the piano man more clearly, and as he looked up he was met by dark amber eyes, and a sad lonely smile. Blaine had seen Kurt enter but now he started to play and sing properly.

Wise men say only fools rush in
But I can't help falling in love with you
Shall I stay
Would it be a sin
If I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows surely to the sea
Darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
So take my hand, and take my whole life too
Cause I can't help falling in love with you

Like a river flows so surely to the sea
Oh my darling so it goes
Some things are meant to be
So won't you please take my hand, and take my whole life too
Cause I can't help falling in love, in love with you
Cause I can't help falling in love, falling in love,
I keep falling in love with you

Blaine looked so desperate as he sang, pouring his heart out into the music, barely aware of Kurt until he asked him directly to 'take his hand' and 'take his whole life too'. Blaine would give it all readily if only Kurt wanted it.

As he stopped playing the song, he barely looked up, worried about what he would see so he continued tinkering on the keys, hoping the few people at the bar wouldn't mind. Kurt walked slowly to sit next to him on the piano stool and stroked his hand, lifting it gently from the keys, silently asking him to stop and look. Blaine looked up to find pools of blue meeting his eyes of amber and he was greeted with a smile.

"That was perfect, Blaine, so perfect." He kissed him sweetly.

"I'm sorry Kurt, so sorry. I shouldn't have assumed - I mean I just thought…"

"No, don't worry Blaine," Kurt settled his jittering hand, "We didn't properly discuss it. I just can't leave New York, it's not an option. I'm already so far away there from my dad, if something happened and I have Vogue and Rachel. I've built a life there…" He realised how selfish he sounded but he knew he wouldn't be able to compromise and the realisation that this meant the end hit him like a train wreck.

"So that's it?" Blaine asked, with a note of finality in his voice, not directed at Kurt just thinking desperately that there was no solution, nothing.

Kurt didn't agree, couldn't say that it was goodbye; they had another week, they had Christmas day but he knew that it would be and he felt his heart break.