"Who's winning?" Kurt asked, feigning interest as he approached the sofa where Blaine and Burt were sitting after their fill of Christmas food.

"Celtics," Burt and Blaine said simultaneously.

Kurt couldn't be more disinterested but as he put a napkin on his father's knee and pretended to eagerly watch the television in front of him, Blaine was nervously watching the time.

"Ok, I trade," Kurt said, sitting back in the sofa and grabbing his Vogue.

Moans escaped Blaine's mouth as he started to fish out his money.

"Pay up Anderson," Burt said, laughing, "You may have dated him, but I raised him, I know my son."

"Oh, you couldn't have toughed it out for a few more seconds Kurt," Blaine said, pretending to be annoyed but laughing whilst Kurt continued to read. Kurt didn't know what the fuss was about; they both knew he hated sports. Kurt loved scarves.

"So," Burt continued, nudging Blaine on the knee in a fatherly way, which always made Blaine feel like he belonged to the family. His own family, cold and unapproachable, were the complete opposite of this gruff but loving man, who despite the fact that Blaine had hurt his son, still ate Christmas dinner with him, still laughed and watched football. "Graduating? Plans for the future?" he asked.

Blaine looked suddenly worried. He hadn't spoken to Kurt but plans for the future seemed stupid now. He knew what he wanted to do but the idea it might not happen seemed more and more plausible.

"Well I haven't talked about this with Kurt and I wouldn't do anything to make him feel uncomfortable but I was thinking of applying to NYADA." Blaine couldn't look at Kurt – his dream seemed so far away. "Would that be ok?"

Kurt nodded at the news, "I think that'll be great," he said smiling but suddenly biting his lip in concern at the expression on Blaine's face. Blaine simply turned back to the television and tried to watch the game.

Kurt soon went to the kitchen to finish dinner, leaving Burt and Blaine to continue watching the game. He listened to Christmas music on his iPod as he wove around the kitchen, dancing and twirling, safe in the knowledge that Burt and Blaine were engrossed in the game and wouldn't turn around.

"You know you need to tell him, right?" Burt suddenly whispered.

Blaine looked up at Burt, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He shook his head; he couldn't have this conversation here. Burt had rung Blaine a few days ago to arrange the flight. When Blaine had answered Burt could only hear Blaine struggling to breathe down the phone, unable to control his emotions and Burt had driven to see him soon after. After a coffee with Blaine's ashen-faced parents, it had transpired that Blaine had found out some bad news.

"Kurt needs to know. Cancer isn't just something you can hide," Burt said.

"What? What are you talking about?" Kurt asks, choosing this time to remove his headphones and come quickly to the sofa. "What are you talking about?" Kurt's voice had gone higher, an elevated pitch indicating his panic and his eyes wide he looked from Burt to Blaine, who were both open-mouthed. "Please someone say something."

Burt looked to Blaine, who shook his head imperceptibly, then back to Kurt and sighed, resigned to the lie he knew he was going to have to tell, if only to bide Blaine some time.

"Maybe you should sit down, kid," Burt said kindly and as Kurt did so he looked half annoyed that he was being patronised but was so desperate to know what they had been talking about, he let it slide. "I have prostate cancer, Kurt," Burt said and Blaine gasped quietly next to him. He couldn't believe he had told such a lie to his own son but he knew then what a great man Burt was, willing to do this for him. He looked carefully at Kurt to gauge his reaction.

"I feel like I'm going to be sick," Kurt said, looking down and picking at an invisible piece of thread on his pants.

"Hey, do I look like a guy that's dying? They caught it early, I'm sure I'll be fine."

"For healthy people dad," Kurt said sounding annoyed, "You've had a heart attack."

"Well that's why I have check-ups twice a year," Burt said, looking at Blaine who had gone white.

Kurt didn't know what to say but after a while he repeatedly asked questions about Burt's future treatment, which Burt coped with admirably and soon dinner had to be served. The Christmas meal was relatively quiet, no one really wanting to say anything, all deep in thoughts of the future. Blaine knew he should have told Kurt as soon as the lie was out of Burt's mouth but he had felt such relief he had only wanted to maintain the façade. He knew it was cruel but this would bide him some time while he sorted things out. Maybe Kurt need never know.

They watched Christmas movies after dinner and Burt soon went to bed, explaining he was tired and looking at Blaine pointedly as he departed. Blaine gulped painfully as Kurt snuggled further into the sofa so they could finish watching 'It's a Wonderful Life', which always made Kurt cry. He wouldn't want to admit it to Blaine, but he knew that Kurt missed the affection, the simple touching that came with a relationship and Blaine crept closer and closer to Kurt as the movie went on, hoping they might fall asleep together, curled up on the sofa. After a while, Kurt's head fell on Blaine's shoulder and Blaine smiled, loving Kurt being there. If he could always have this Blaine would be happy.

Thinking that Kurt was asleep, he quietly turned off the film as the ending credits rolled on but Kurt soon sat upright and looked straight at Blaine.

"What am I going to do Blaine?" he whispered, sitting crossed legged on the sofa. He looked like such a lost boy, with tears pooling in his eyes, Blaine wanted to hug him close and never let him go and if he could remove all the evil in the world just for Kurt he would.

"I'm sorry Kurt," Blaine said, not knowing what else to say.

"I can't lose my dad, I'd have no one."

"You're not going to lose him, he'll be fine – he's a fighter."

"But what if I do?" Kurt looked up, wide eyed and so innocent. He expected Blaine to have the answers.

"You'll always have me, I hope."

"You hope?" Kurt cocked an eyebrow, looking confused and Blaine swallowed painfully again. This was it.

"Burt wasn't honest with you earlier, Kurt, he lied."

"He doesn't have cancer?"

"No he doesn't, I…"

"Oh my gosh, really? I can't believe it!" Kurt got up suddenly, leapt off the sofa in happiness and smiled widely, and then realisation dawned on his face.

"Wait… why did he lie?" He sat back down.

"He wanted to give me some time I think. I didn't ask him to lie, I really didn't, he just did."

"Why Blaine?" Kurt whispered.

Blaine couldn't speak. He knew things were still difficult between them, knew that Kurt would need time to forgive him but he wanted him so badly, needed him there. He had danced around the ice rink earlier, determined to make it an evening to remember for Kurt, to remind him of the good times but things were so far from good. Blaine couldn't burst that bubble of goodness.

"Blaine?"

"I have cancer," he whispered, barely there, barely breathing.

"What? I don't understand…"

Blaine said nothing.

"Blaine speak to me…" Kurt sounded desperate.

Blaine couldn't look at him, he was so embarrassed, "I had pains in my left side and went to the doctor who did all the checks and found the lump," he continued on, looking down at his hands and wringing them. "I've had loads of scans and they'll let me know if it's spread."

"Oh god Blaine…"