Blaine stands there for what appears to be the longest time, taking in Kurt's tear stained face, his open mouth. Kurt doesn't know what to say, merely a strangled "Blaine" comes out of his mouth, a desperate hand tries to reach out to him as Blaine backs away and leaves the apartment, without saying a word.

Kurt remained, looking at his hands until he realises what has happened and he realises he needs to do something and starts to run after Blaine to find the streets around Blaine's apartment are only crowded with other people, none of whom are who he wants to see, no one is Blaine.

Having left the apartment door open on its latch, Kurt returned slowly still trying to process what had happened and why Blaine had run away rather than talk to him. He knows he has another meeting with the recording company today and he would be in need of a shower after his run but Blaine doesn't return. Kurt leaves countless messages on his phone, which goes straight to voicemail but nothing works. It is then that he decides to contact the only friend who he knows Blaine will have told everything.

xXx

Blaine realised his error as soon as he left his apartment. He had nowhere to shower before his meeting and he could never meet Robert in his stained and smelly sweats so he called on a friend that lives nearby.

"Blaine!" Sebastian exclaimed after picking up his phone, "I haven't heard from you in ages, how are you?"

"I'm just great," Blaine said bitterly, "Are you in your apartment? Can I borrow your shower?"

"Shower? What's happened to yours?"

"It's a very long story, are you in?"

"Yeah sure I mean I have to be in work in a couple of hours but..."

"Great, see you soon," Blaine said, not letting him finish before he hung up.

Blaine jogged there so minutes later he arrived at Sebastian's door and as soon as it was opened he practically leapt in, determined to avoid the general public as much as possible.

"What happened to you?" Sebastian asked as Blaine stormed past him to sit on his sofa. Sebastian looked like he might start to laugh at Blaine's dishevelled appearance until he saw Blaine's expression and thought better. Blaine ran his hands through his now curly hair and here, in a place where Kurt couldn't find him, he sighed in pain.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Sebastian said, his concerned expression something new to Blaine.

"I don't really know where to start," Blaine said. Sebastian noticed a choked sob break free as Blaine struggled to breathe properly. He had never seen him like this.

"The beginning?" Sebastian suggested.

Blaine looked at Sebastian, someone he had only kept in touch with after Sebastian's new job had taken him to New York. They had barely talked during Blaine's time in college but would now meet for drinks with mutual friends. Blaine always took some comfort in his friendship with Sebastian, the guy that had nearly blinded him in high school. It made him feel quite proud of himself that he could forgive like that and he knew that Sebastian had changed, even if only slightly. It was perhaps his acid tongue and mocking nature that drove Blaine to him in the first place. He could always rely on his brutal honesty, and his determination to be the best was greatly admired by Blaine.

"It's Kurt," Blaine started and Sebastian smirked.

"Of course it is," Sebastian said, "It always was." Blaine looked up, not quite sure what he meant. "I never did understand why you were so besotted with old Betty White but you were and are and always will be. It's written all over your face, I don't know why he never knew."

"Well he knows now," Blaine said, the thought again of Kurt's tear stained, horror stricken face haunting him. Blaine explained the blog posts and filled him in on Kurt's failed marriage with Adam.

"Ouch," Sebastian said, pulling a face, "I mean that's gotta hurt. What did he say before you left to come here?"

"Nothing," Blaine said, "His face said it all."

"What, you mean you didn't speak to him?"

"Of course not, I don't need him to say what I've imagined him saying if he ever found out. I mean I've been harbouring feelings for him for years, I don't need to hear that he doesn't feel the same way and doesn't think it's a good idea for us to see each other anymore."

"I think you had better eye sight when I threw that slushie," Sebastian suddenly said, staring at Blaine as if he was the most ridiculous creature. Blaine was just confused.

"He's always loved you, you idiot," Sebastian said, "You were like his sun and moon and all that crap. Adam may have married him but you were something else. It's no coincidence that you stayed in his life, that he came to you after his marriage failed. He may not know it yet but you're the love of his life."

Blaine shook his head as soon as he realised what Sebastian was trying to say.

"I have never seen someone look so fierce and protective as Kurt did when I threatened to take you away from him. He would get that possessive glint in his eye, like that time we went to Scandals and he came to dance with you so I couldn't or the quips he would send my way whenever I mocked you or your relationship. I was always kinda jealous if I'm honest."

"Don't be stupid. I mean maybe years ago he felt like that, but not now, not after all these years. I'm the pathetic one that thought we were forever."

"Well speak to him; you owe it to yourself to find out."

Blaine nodded, thinking it through until he noticed the time and got up from the sofa.

"Oh my god, I need to go, I have a meeting with the record company and I need a shower."

"You have a recording company now?" Sebastian asked, clearly jealous.

"Yeah another long story, but can I have a shower first? You can make me breakfast," Blaine said, as he walked to Sebastian's bathroom. Sebastian just chuckled.

xXx

"Thanks for meeting with me," Kurt said as he placed their coffees on the table between them. Beth looked worried at what was to be expected from her but she smiled in thanks for the drink.

"So what's this about?" she asked, "I mean I haven't seen you since your wedding but Blaine told me last week that things weren't going well?"

"Yeah you could say that," Kurt laughed without humour, "I mean we're getting a divorce. I'm staying with Blaine." Beth raised an eyebrow.

"Blaine never told me that bit," she said.

"Well I suppose he didn't want to break my confidence, it's not exactly well known. I've been pretending to be fine for so long, I think Adam almost believed we were ok."

"So you've been living with Blaine? How's that been?"

Kurt looked at Beth, her kind face and warm brown eyes drawing attention to the fact that she could easily pass for Blaine's sister. He suddenly realised why Blaine called her his best girl friend, her kindness and the loving way she asked questions showing she had the perfect balance of compassion for someone's pain mixed with a desire to help. He found himself explaining it all, how he had discovered the blog and Blaine's true feelings and how Blaine had ran and not returned.

"Wow, that's messed up," she said sadly, "Poor Blaine."

"You knew?" Kurt asked quietly, almost like stating a fact rather than asking a question.

"Yes, I mean I can't believe you didn't know, it always was written all over his face."

Kurt felt his shoulders sink with the weight of it all. He had seen those expressions of longing from Blaine's warm brown eyes tinged with green, so clear and open and assumed that he was aching for love in his own life, not necessarily with Kurt.

"So how do you feel about it all?" Beth said. Kurt smiled, his mind travelling somewhere else.

"Its Blaine," he said, "I mean it's always been him. I tried so hard when I was a freshman to get over him that the only way I could do it was to avoid seeing him and spend all my time with Adam instead. I'd still ring Blaine, talk to him, see him with other people but I avoided him on my own because I knew. I knew if I spent any real time with him alone that I couldn't pretend anymore. I honestly did believe that I was in love with Adam, otherwise I wouldn't have married him, but there were times I would look at Blaine and I know I had to avoid seeing him."

"He is pretty awesome," Beth said smiling, the romantic in her desperate to come out and sigh in happiness. "When were the moments?"

"Oh I don't know," he said, suddenly bashful, his cheeks turning a lovely shade of pink. "He made these promises to me when we were still in high school and I know he kept them all. He would bake me cookies twice a year and always told me how much talent I had, always made me feel loved and special. He always picked up my phone calls no matter what the time, apart from today," Kurt finished sadly.

"He always defended you, you know," she said kindly, "Never said a bad word against you."

"I know, I can't believe how stupid I've been. I mean I just thought that he was the greatest friend anyone could ever have."

"Why didn't you try again? I mean I know you must have forgiven him, you wouldn't still be friends with him if you hadn't."

"I told him the other day that I'd forgiven him ages ago, actually," he said, remembering Blaine's rendition of 'Teenage Dream' on the piano. "Did he tell you about our teacher's wedding when Blaine was a senior at high school?" Beth only nodded and smiled.

"God that was good, I just couldn't get enough of him and I'd forgotten how intoxicating he could be," he said staring wistfully into the distance. "It brought it all back when we danced to the same song the other night. I know he requested it but I thought maybe he was just lonely after Elliot was being cold towards him."

"What stopped you getting back together after that wedding?"

"I knew he wanted it all then, I knew he wanted us to get back together but I just couldn't admit it to myself. I don't think I'd forgiven him then and I was so worried that if we ever hit another bump in the road that he would resort to cheating again."

"He's never forgiven himself for what he did to you."

"I know," Kurt said looking down, "Which is why I said it the other day, I know he needed to hear it and believe it. I know I made mistakes, I wasn't there for him either." Beth didn't judge, only nodded as if she understood.

"I read that blog post he'd written about 'Come What May' this morning and I couldn't believe I had forgotten. Well maybe not forgotten as much as deliberately blocked it from my mind. He described it so beautifully, just like I remembered and it reminded me of when I had imagined him while watching the film with Adam and a bunch of friends. It was just what I wanted to sing at my wedding but never with Adam, only with Blaine. It's always been Blaine," Kurt said sadly, looking at the bottom of his empty coffee cup.

"Then you need to tell him," Beth said kindly.

"But he ran," Kurt said, "It's too late."

"God you're such an idiot," she said, shaking her head, "Just as bad as Blaine. It's never too late!" she almost shouted. Kurt looked at her wide eyed at her exclamation. "He will always love you, always," she said emphatically. Kurt smiled. He would just have to show Blaine just how much he loved him too.

xXx

Blaine seemed to be constantly rushing around that day. After leaving Sebastian after a hasty shower and breakfast and a promise to catch up properly with drinks soon, he dashed off again to meet with his recording company.

They were eager to start the ball rolling with his career but knew that it was practically impossible to make a success of an album if you didn't prepare the way first. They suggested a small national tour within the next year as soon as a few singles came out, with the plans to have an album early next year. They discussed ideas and marketing ploys; Blaine showed them what he already had in the form of songs and they suggested meetings with top producers and writers to hone his craft. Blaine was excited at the prospect of it all, despite his mind constantly wandering to Kurt's tear stained face, and he wished that all areas of his life would be as simple as his singing career.

The meeting went on for hours, the first time he had to share his vision for his career, so he only had time for a quick dinner at a diner he often frequented, before dashing off again to the bar he was to sing at that night. He had deliberately turned off his phone and wasn't going to switch it on until after he had sung, knowing that Kurt would probably try to call him and offer pitying friendship.

He arrived early at the bar but instead of drinking he started playing almost immediately which no one objected to. He was always so grateful that he could sing in these places and today he barely registered there were people watching him. As the hours went on and more people arrived, his songs changed tempo from quick and happy to slow and more tender. He always sung to reflect his mood and although he didn't want to be selfish, it was always cathartic to sing songs that were swirling in his mind. Tonight was no exception.

He didn't notice Kurt come in near the end of his set, which was exactly what Kurt had hoped. So engrossed in the piano and the words he was singing Blaine didn't see Kurt hover by the door, right at the back of the now crowded bar. Blaine started a new song, words of which had found their way into his last blog post and had swirled and eddied into his subconscious recently.

And now I'm all alone again nowhere to turn, no one to go to

Without a home without a friend without a face to say hello to

And now the night is near

Now I can make believe he's here

The crowd looked a little surprised that a man would attempt this song but they watched mesmerised by the sad man that only some recognised as a regular singer at this bar.

Sometimes I walk alone at night

When everybody else is sleeping

I think of him and then I'm happy

With the company I'm keeping

The city goes to bed

And I can live inside my head

On my own

Pretending he's beside me

All alone I walk with him till morning

Without him I feel his arms around me

And when I lose my way I close my eyes

And he has found me

Blaine looked so happy as he closed his eyes against the people at the bar, clearly remembering Kurt's face and what he meant to him. There was no sadness there and Kurt felt his breath hitch in his chest, almost like a choking feeling.

In the rain the pavement shines like silver

All the lights are misty in the river

In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight

And all I see is him and me forever and forever

Kurt could see it all, 'Come What May' never meant so much as it did now. Kurt and Blaine had always been endgame, always forever and Blaine had known all along. Kurt had tried to pretend that he was better off without him but Blaine had hoped for the both of them.

And I know it's only in my mind

That I'm talking to myself and not to him

And although I know that he is blind

Still I say, there's a way for us

I love him but when the night is over

He is gone, the river's just a river

Without him, the world around me changes

The trees are bare and everywhere

The streets are full of strangers

Kurt realised how Blaine had loved him for all this time, how painful it must have been to watch him marry Adam and he covered his mouth so the people around him wouldn't notice his sob. Blaine seemed so desperately in love as he sang, Kurt wanted to run to him, assure him he loved him too and that he wasn't alone anymore.

I love him

But every day I'm learning

All my life

I've only been pretending

Without me his world would go on turning

A world that's full of happiness

That I have never known

I love him

I love him

I love him

But only on my own

Blaine's fingers trailed over the piano keys as he finished, as if he was so utterly exhausted by his performance but on looking up he suddenly noticed there wasn't a dry eye in the house and he looked sheepish. The glorious thing about music, he realised, was that everyone could feel his pain, everyone knew and no one judged. Instead they understood and sympathised. He simply thanked them and took a sip of water from his glass on top of the piano. He knew he couldn't continue after that performance so he went to leave.

He passed Kurt without realising he was near and Kurt deliberately shrank back into the crowd gathered at the bar but he saw Blaine leave. After a simple beat of his heart he started walking towards the exit Blaine had taken.

The cold air hit his face as the door closed behind him and he turned down one side of the street to see Blaine's retreating back, tucked inwards against the cold. He wanted to call out but was afraid at the reaction he would get, perhaps Blaine would run again, so he rushed to keep up with him until he was barely four metres behind him.

"Blaine."

At the sound of his name, Blaine stopped without turning around, his shoulders immediately tensing, recognising the voice. Kurt closed the distance between them and Blaine turned around slowly.

"Kurt."

There was only sadness in that voice, only longing and Kurt couldn't take it any longer. He hugged him so close Blaine felt a rush of air leave his lungs.

"Blaine, I love you too, god I love you too Blaine," he rambled near his ear and Blaine seemed to sink and melt against him. As they parted Blaine looked at Kurt carefully, with tears in his eyes. He had never looked so incredulous and Kurt stroked his cheek and smiled.

"It's always been you Blaine."

Kurt looked so unbelievably happy that Blaine could only smile as tears twinkled in his eyes. He clung closer to Kurt, his hand holding onto his waist, his face mere inches from Kurt's.

"I should have said something before, I-" Blaine started but Kurt only placed a finger on his lip and smiled.

"We have so much time for that, let's not waste it anymore."

Blaine had dreamt about this moment so often he was sure he had died and gone to heaven. Kurt brought his lips to touch Blaine's, softly, gently and it was the most glorious feeling. Blaine wasn't dreaming, he wasn't imagining his soft lips against his own, he would never have to love Kurt on his own again and it felt awesome.