Chapter 13

"Liam?" Blaine said, as he walked into his bedroom to see Liam sitting on his bed with his head in his hands. On hearing Blaine, he looked up, tears obviously streaming down his face. Blaine had never seen him like this and he felt panic rising in his stomach as he looked on, his eyes wide. Kurt couldn't leave, didn't know what to say so resolutely stayed behind so Liam couldn't see him but he could hear every word. He knew he should leave, let them have some privacy but a part of Kurt needed to hear what was going on. He trusted Blaine completely but something was clearly wrong and Kurt wanted to be there just in case Blaine needed someone.

"What's wrong?" Blaine asked, concern dripping from his voice and Liam's breath hitched as another sob seemed to wrack his body. Liam finally looked properly around the bedroom he once had shared with Blaine, the place he had simply slept in then gone to work. He had never really noticed before how the place was so devoid of feeling, just a place where they slept. Nothing romantic happened here, no whispered conversations in the dark, no sweet kisses as they woke up before Liam had to go to work. Liam looked around now and finally noticed all the changes. Small objects that were so Blaine littered the walls and window ledges, things that Kurt and Blaine had found together or pictures they had taken on their trip to Egypt. Liam's eyes wandered around and he knew. This room was now a place of love, a relationship had bloomed in this very room and he swallowed his feelings down as he spoke.

"You found someone else?" he asked timidly and Blaine was shocked that he had been so perceptive. He couldn't understand how he knew but he also couldn't believe what he was seeing. Liam never seemed to regret any decision he made, a trait that made him a powerful lawyer in the courthouse. He was confident and determined in the work place, always knowing what he wanted and making decisions accordingly. Blaine looked at this shell of a man before him and wondered what had happened.

"Yes," Blaine said, "How did you know?"

"This room," Liam said, looking around, "It looks likes someone lives here with you, it looks warmer somehow." Blaine looked around and spotted the pictures and the objects he had bought with Kurt when the fancy had suited him. He realised Kurt had left his mark on his home as well as his heart and the two glasses of water on the nightstand and the bottle of lube on the side were clear reminders too. Blaine suddenly realised he had come in with Kurt too and he walked away from Liam in search of Kurt who he found on the sofa, looking apprehensive and wide eyed as Blaine entered.

"Sorry Kurt, I think something's wrong with Liam, can I meet you for coffee tomorrow?" Blaine looked so worried that Kurt felt a pang and realised Blaine must have felt the same when James had suddenly reappeared in his life.

"Yeah sure," Kurt said, standing, making an appearance of confidence, "I'll give you your space." He touched Blaine's arm affectionately and kissed him on the cheek, slipping out of the apartment quietly.

"Was that Kurt that I met at the airport?" Liam said, as soon as Blaine entered the bedroom again. Blaine nodded and sat down on a chair, set apart from Liam who was still say on the edge of the bed, looking worn and tired.

"He's your boyfriend now?" Liam asked quietly.

"Yeah, its official now but we've seen each other for a while. I guess I needed to get myself sorted." Blaine had accepted what had happened, Liam long ago forgiven and forgotten it seemed and Liam felt his stomach drop in sadness.

"What are you doing here Liam?" Blaine asked and Liam looked up suddenly as if he didn't expect to be asked such a question. It was still his place.

"I've been thinking…" Liam said, his voice trailing away and Blaine could suddenly fill the gaps.

"Thinking of us and what you miss?" Blaine said, scoffing in annoyance. Liam didn't know what to say, just nodded. Blaine got up to walk to the kitchen to make a pot of coffee and stood in the kitchen watching the kettle boil as Liam approached and leaned on the door frame.

"I'm sorry Blaine, I shouldn't have come," he said quietly, Blaine's back still faced him but he could see Blaine's shoulders slump in defeat.

"No you shouldn't have," Blaine said, still refusing to face him, "But you're here now. Do you want coffee?"

Liam was surprised but answered that he would and he sat on the kitchen stool, waiting patiently for some sort of life line. Blaine handed him his coffee once it had been made, the silence looming between them, until Blaine sat opposite Liam and started drinking his coffee.

"So what happened? Why do you suddenly need me?" Blaine couldn't keep the venom out of his voice and Liam felt foolish. Why was he here?

"I'm on another case, preparing many others but this one case got me thinking I guess and I can't stop thinking," Liam said as he looked down at his mug of coffee, the steam wafting off and calming him, focusing his thoughts on what he wanted to say. "This case, gosh it's something Blaine and you know I'm not really supposed to discuss it but it's been eating me up and I need to talk to someone about it. It got me thinking, when I came home from the courthouse today that I have no one I can talk to. It used to be you; I could come home and know you'd be there. You'd make me dinner and pour me wine and we'd talk or watch some mindless television and you'd take it away, one hug and I never wanted to leave. I guess until today I never realised how much I'd missed it, missed you." Blaine looked pained but indicated for him to continue.

"What was this case about?" he asked.

"This guy murdered his wife, bludgeoned her to death with his golf club." Blaine gasped in horror at the thought of such a crime and new pity was felt that Liam had to defend people like that.

"I mean he really is evil Blaine," Liam carried on, "He has no remorse at all unless he's in court and that's where he really comes alive. He acts his way through any question, pleading insanity but I know the truth." Liam shuddered to himself. "His wife had cheated on him, he'd found out through a friend and came home deliberately to find them together. He then proceeded to hit her as the lover escaped the house to leave her to suffer alone." He paused, getting himself together, then looked at Blaine with such sadness in his blue eyes that Blaine suddenly remembered the moment he had realised he had first loved Liam. Liam had been sad over his childhood cat dying and Blaine had comforted him, the same look now resided in his eyes. Blaine gulped with the memory.

"I started thinking about the lover that just left. I mean how could he do that? Just leave her to die alone and not defend her?" Blaine didn't know how to answer, he had no answer.

"This guy weeps silently in court all the time and I look at him before I question witnesses and the defendant and I know he feels it. He knows what he did and though he might not have loved her, he knows he left her and that will always be with him, until he dies."

Blaine looked at Liam, his tears now dried on his cheeks, his eyes wide and he finally sees the lost man that he once loved. The lawyer has been stripped away and only the real Liam remains and Blaine had wanted to see that all along, had needed to see him again.

"Why has this affected you so much?" Blaine asks.

"Because Blaine," he says, suddenly holding his hands in his, "That was me, I left you like that, I just ran." Blaine almost laughed at the foolish notion that Liam was like someone who had left his lover behind to die, but he saw the expression of utter belief on Liam's face and he stopped.

"Liam, you didn't leave me to die, I'm fine." Blaine brushed his hands along his own chest to prove it. "You made a decision and you left but no harm has come to me."

"I know but mentally and emotionally it has. I did that to you. It got me thinking about my future and what I want on my tombstone when I die. I don't want it to read that I jilted someone and left them alone, I don't want to be that person."

"But you don't love me enough," Blaine said simply with no emotion, "You admitted as much at the airport and in your letter. I get it, no hard feelings."

"Not now you have Kurt?" Liam asked carefully and Blaine thought about it. Kurt. He looked at Liam, sad and lost Liam, who clearly missed having someone in his life and then thought of Kurt. Beautiful, caring Kurt; Kurt who had filled his life with love and fire again. Kurt who made him want to better himself, made him feel alive again after feeling so dead for so long. Kurt had done that with sweet kisses and simple sighs, laughter and conversation, whispered secrets and love. He looked to Liam and knew that he had never known that with him. He had been reminded of something lost long ago with Liam but even in their best moments Blaine had never felt so much passion, so much love as he did for Kurt.

"I'm sorry Liam but I love him," Blaine said and he couldn't stop the dopey smile stretching his face.

"I'm too late?" he asked and Blaine only nodded.

xXx

Liam left soon after, not wanting to disturb Blaine anymore, already feeling guilty for making Kurt leave and interrupting their night. He timidly asked if he could keep in contact with Blaine, thanking him for letting him talk tonight.

"Make sure you have a better work-life balance Liam," Blaine said, as he walked him to the door, "Go out again, you need to separate work from your life and talk to other people, it's not good for anyone." Liam nodded in agreement.

"I'm glad you found someone," Liam said kindly as he stepped out the door, "He's very lucky to have such a good guy, I hope he knows how great you are."

"I'm the lucky one," Blaine said smiling as Liam walked away. Blaine knew exactly where he needed to be right now.

xXx

"Blaine?" Kurt said as he opened the door in surprise, "I wasn't expecting to see you tonight." Blaine smiled warmly at him as Kurt looked so adorable, his hair all messed from his bed and adorned in his pyjamas.

"I couldn't wait until tomorrow, can I come in?"

"Sure, yeah," he said, opening the door wider, "Rachel's asleep." He led Blaine to his kitchen and indicated making tea, to which Blaine nodded.

"What happened?" Kurt asked timidly, not sure how to proceed and hoping Blaine had made the right decision.

"I met you," Blaine said suddenly, "And life was complete again and all was well with the world." Blaine walked closer to Kurt who had placed the mugs next to the boiling kettle and was suddenly spun around so Blaine could place his lips against his fiercely.

"Oh," Kurt said as they parted, looking stunned at his admission but feeling butterflies in his stomach. Blaine kept kissing him until Kurt smiled warmly and started to laugh.

"What's got into you?" Kurt said, chuckling as they parted.

"I realised something tonight and I need you to know," Blaine said, "Gosh Kurt, I don't even know how to begin with what Liam said tonight but I think the only thing that can't wait until tomorrow is that I love you. I love you so much and you're amazing and loving and so beautiful inside and out and I love you. I love you Kurt Hummel." He looked suddenly complete, like he had said exactly what he had wanted to say and the world was right again.

"Well in that case," Kurt said smiling, "I think we need to finish what we started earlier, don't you?" He winked and led the way to his bedroom, as Blaine's eyes widened at the thought of a naked Kurt, pliant and noisy beneath him.

xXx

"Mum wants to meet you," Blaine said suddenly at lunch with Kurt a few weeks later.

"Oh?" Kurt said, looking up from his biscotti, "She does? What about your dad?"

"Well he hasn't mentioned it but he wouldn't, it's my mum that's been interested in meeting you, it's my mum I speak to about you all the time. My dad will be there too of course."

"But will he like me? I haven't met your dad before and your mum didn't have the best chance to get to know me, I mean I fell down the stairs after she saw me in your bed. I didn't make the best first impression."

"Oh don't worry about that," Blaine said, waving off Kurt's worry, "She'll love you, she already loves you. You'll be fine."

"And your dad?" Kurt said, worry still rising.

"Well…" Blaine said, hesitating, "He's harder to please, but I'm sure you'll be fine."

Kurt only nodded in acceptance but did not feel any better after this conversation.

They arrived at Blaine's parents a week later, Kurt nervously waiting at the door as Blaine knocked. His mum answered shortly after and immediately kissed and hugged both boys warmly and Kurt felt his nerves slipping away slightly as he was ushered into the living room and his coat removed. They were offered drinks as Blaine's mum rushed to the kitchen to finish dinner, explaining that Richard was expected a bit later. He had had to finish work a bit later but would soon be home and Blaine settled into the sofa with his drink as he watched Kurt, clearly on edge. He stroked his arm and reminded him not to worry.

A sudden bang of the door indicated Richard's presence in the house and Blaine got up to greet his dad at the door to the living room.

"You'll never guess what that imbecile did again at the office," he was shouting, clearly talking to his wife and not noticing he had guests.

"Richard dear, remember we have guests," Blaine's mum said as she started to remove her apron in the hall way.

"Dad," Blaine was saying, indicating Kurt, "Meet my boyfriend Kurt; Kurt, my dad."

Richard looked from Blaine to Kurt then his gaze returned to his wife.

"Why didn't you tell me we had guests tonight?"

"I did, honey," she said sweetly, trying to mask her annoyance, "Dinner's ready boys." They all followed her to the dining table which had been laid out beautifully. They sat in silence as the appetisers were brought out. Blaine's mum initiated polite conversation, asking about Blaine and Kurt's jobs and Blaine's work for the Trevor project, as Richard listened, eating quietly.

"So you're a hairdresser?" He asked Kurt after a while.

"Yes, sir," he replied.

"That doesn't make much money, I suppose?" He scoffed.

"Dad!" Blaine exclaimed but Kurt only smiled reassuringly at Blaine.

"No not really but I get by. I hope to style for Broadway if I can. My friend Rachel has just got herself a small part on stage so maybe they'll be an opening soon and I have experience with styling performers."

Richard looked surprised at the succinct response and nodded in understanding, sudden respect appearing on his face. "So you have dreams then? You want to make yourself better?" Kurt nodded. "And do you want children and marriage in the future?" Blaine and his mum exchanged worried glances, knowing when Richard was in full inquisition mode.

"Yes definitely. I've always wanted that."

"With Blaine?" he asked abruptly and Kurt looked at Blaine. They hadn't discussed anything like this before and he really didn't want the first time they spoke about it to be in front of his dad.

"Yes, I think so sir," he said calmly, avoiding Blaine's eyes, which had widened with this new knowledge.

"Good," Richard nodded again, preparing to eat his food again, "You already sound better than that idiot that jilted Blaine before, Liam. He wasn't one for the long haul by the looks of it. I hope you don't plan on doing the same?"

"Definitely not sir," Kurt said, smiling at Blaine warmly, suddenly understanding why he had been given the third degree. "I've had something similar happen to me too and I would never hurt Blaine."

"Glad to hear it," Richard said, completely missing the shy smiles and loving gazes of the two men sat at the dinner table opposite him.