On the day of Kurts sixth birthday, Blaine was sitting in a tub of lukewarm bath water, idly kicking his legs back and forth and watching the foamy bubbles climb up the sides of the porcelain, and then fall back down, plopping with a silent pop onto the surface of the clear mirror. Kurt had already left the bathroom, refreshed and donned in his best sundress, as he so called it, even though Blaine thought all of his dresses were equally pretty. It was such a light yellow gown that it appeared silvery in some light, with a dark yellow bow for his hair to complement it. Blaine wasnt sure what he would wear to this extravagant event in which Burt did his best to come up with a new surprise for his son each year, but usually settled for giving up the TV to Kurts princess movies, even when there was a big game on, and buying him a pink cake. This was why Blaine was reclined in the tub, and had been for ten minutes too long, his skin soaking until it was pruned like a raisin.

Suddenly, a commotion from upstairs drowned out the slapping of the water as he kicked it with his wrinkled foot, and he leaned his head back, staring up at the ceiling as if he could see through it. He heard what sounded like Burts gruff voice, calling for his son and Blaine, so Blaine stretched for the plug. He yanked it up, climbing out before he could be sucked down with the water. Landing on the cool tile, Blaine walked over to the towel rack and pulled one of them off, wrapping it around himself. As he dried, he went back into the bedroom, where he considered his outfits, all of them just alike in their simple plainness. Whatever the case, even his Halloween costume would have been a better choice for this celebration than anything else. If he got a questioning look, he would simply say that he was fitting in with Kurts theme for his party, which would undoubtedly be princesses.

Deciding on a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, he unceremoniously tugged them on, reappearing through the head hole with his damp hair drooping over his forehead. He pushed the heavy curls back, shaking them out a few times before he considered that they were probably dry enough for him to be presentable. He made his way over to the stairs, climbing each one up to the living room, where the noise of Kurts excited voice was bellowing from. Parting the door, Blaine peered out at the small room, his eyes instantly pausing on Burt, who was holding his sons hands as Kurt stood on his long shoes, walking with him over to the door. "Go on, honey! Go get your surprise!" He encouraged his son, his voice more enthusiastic than Blaine had ever heard it. Smiling when Kurt slid off of his dads shoes as Burt shook him off, Blaine glanced back up at Burts face, which turned over to the bedroom door, "Hey, Blaine! Come up here! I have something for you!"

Kurt started to sniff out his present, his nose picking up any traces he got of silk or satin. As he wandered around the room, peeking behind couches and ducking under tables, two figures appeared in the window, making Blaines eyes fly open wide. He smashed himself against the wall, daring a glimpse out at Kurt, who jumped back up to his feet at the light knock on the door. "I want to get it!" He cried, pushing his chuckling dad away, and he scurried over to the door, hopping to reach the doorknob. It twisted before he could get a good grip on it, the wood flinging aside to reveal two smiling women on the other side. The one on the left instantly fell to her knees, holding her arms open wide for Kurt, who threw himself into them. "Maman!" He announced, looping her in his thin arms and bringing the two of them even closer together. Laughing, the woman scooped him up from under his bottom and pinned him to her shoulder, holding onto the back of his head.

"Hi!" She said after she pressed a noisy kiss into his cheek, wobbly getting back up with Burts help, holding onto his hand tightly. "Happy birthday, my dearest love!" Rocking him back and forth, she pulled away from him, giggling when his soft hands clasped both of her cheeks. "Are you happy to see me? Because Im happy to see you! I couldnt stop thinking about you for the entire plane ride!" She carried him farther into the living room, sliding him into Laurices arms when she grabbed for him. Playfully blowing on his neck, Laurice tossed him onto the couch, then chucked herself beside of him, making the cushion and him bounce. "Wheres my other sweetheart?" Elizabeth inquired, her blue eyes searching the entire room and stopping on Blaine, who was still gazing out at her from behind the wall. "There he is! Come out here, Blaine!"

Blaine emerged from behind the partially closed door, shyly flushing when she dropped to the floor again, her inviting arms spreading. Noticing how slowly he was inching forward, Elizabeth held up one finger, turning away from him so she could unzip her purse and dig through it. "I have something for both of you. Do you want to see?" She pulled out two boxes, both of them wrapped in thin bows, and laughed as Kurt ran over to her and flopped into her lap. Bundling him up in her arms, she squished him tightly to her chest, pressing more kisses to his face. She beckoned for Blaine to come closer, nodding with her head, "Its okay, Blaine. Do you want a present?"

Blaine hesitantly approached her, feeling the warmth that she radiated, a lot like the bright sun. Sitting down beside of Kurt, who was lounging in his moms arms, he fiddled with his thumbs, taking the blue box when she held it out to him. "Before you open these, I have a story to tell you. These things are very important to me. Can you promise me that youll take good care of them?" When they nodded their heads, she softly smiled, reaching out for Blaine and running her fingers through his hair. "Go ahead... open them." While Kurt untied the ribbon on his and peeled up the top of the box, finding a silver hairbrush within, Blaine stared down at the box that was given to him. It was intimidating, having something so precious to Elizabeth, no matter what it was, and it reminded him of the doll that hed regretted breaking ever since the day that she had been thrown from the table. Elizabeth, picking up on how troubled he was, rubbed his shoulder encouragingly, "Its alright, my love. I trust you."

Kurt picked up his hairbrush, twisting it this way and that, which made Elizabeth chuckle, "This is a prop from the show that I just performed in. It was the hairbrush of a beautiful princess... She had magical hair that glowed whenever she brushed it. I wanted you to have it so you can feel just like that princess did... magical and beautiful." Kurt happily hugged the hairbrush to his chest, watching Blaine cautiously undo the ribbon and brush off the top half of the box. Inside was a single flower, a pink rose, that Blaine picked up between nimble fingers, wary not to crush or bend it. "This was a flower I got in one of the bouquets I received after the final show. I wanted you to have it because the pink rose means that you are admired... but, as soon as I saw it, I thought that you had done something far more admirable than I ever could. You were the bravest person I had ever met, Blaine."

Blaine blinked at the rose, feeling his cheeks color as Elizabeth slid her fingers under his chin and lifted his face. When he looked up, he saw Kurt staring back at him, his head also raised by Elizabeth. "Both of you are beautiful in more ways than either of you know." Sitting back on her heels, she patted her hands against the parts of her thighs that were showing, since Kurt was still splayed out on them. "How about we cut into the cake now? I havent had a bite to eat since early this morning!" She placed a hand on her stomach, smiling when Kurt popped up like a spring, hopping on the tips of his toes because hed been looking forward to the cake almost more than anything else. "Burt, dear, could you put the candles in the cake and light them for Kurt? Six of them!" Making a shocked expression, she boosted herself to her feet, then reached down for Blaine, who had comfortably planted himself on the floor. "How are you six already, my love? When did you grow up?"

Grabbing his moms hand, Kurt pounced through the kitchen door, narrowing in on his prey, the tall, pink cake that was decorated with pastel flowers so pristinely molded that they appeared real at the first glance. His dad, an unsuspecting victim who was sticking six candles into the top of the cake, raised a brow at Kurt, who had darted over to him and was pawing at his legs. "Dont worry, birthday boy... well save a piece for you. Your mom wouldnt allow otherwise."

Elizabeth made a face at that, "Oh, Burt!" Putting her hands on her hips, she mocked offense to that comment, "Hes only joking, Kurt. Your dad just really likes cake. But it wouldnt be nice if he kept it all to himself, would it?"

Kurt, who was still oblivious to the fact that his dad had used sarcasm, wagged a finger at him, "Maman says we have to share!" When his dad clicked a lighter, making a flame burst from the top of a small slit in the metal, Kurt backed away, clearly alarmed. "Can I blow out my candles and make a wish now, Daddy?"

"Hold on, you impatient, little thing." After he lit each of the candles, he picked up the cake, nudging Kurt away with his shoe when he kept patting his legs. "Shoo... youll make me dump the cake." Burt set the cake in the center of the table, quietly chortling at the way Kurt speedily hoisted himself onto a chair and stretched for the cake. "Now you can blow out the candles."

Lowering in the chair across from Kurt, Laurice grabbed the platter the cake was perched on and scooted it closer to Kurt. Once the others had seated themselves in various spots at the table, Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, flipping them open after he had heaved a gust of wind at the candles, making wispy lines of smoke lazily rise from the melting sticks. Burt took the cake back over to himself, lifting a sharp knife and slicing through the icing. "Whatd you wish for?" Laurice demanded, busying herself with passing out the paper plates that were covered inch by inch with tiaras and ball gowns and glowing wands. When Kurt determinedly shook his head, she rolled her eyes at him, "Oh, come on. We all know you cant keep your own secrets for less than a minute. You might as well blurt it out now."

Even though he was concerned that it might not come true if he told, Kurt couldnt help but do as his aunt had told, and spill all of his cards out on the table, "I wished that Blaine would give me a birthday kiss before the day is over!" He admitted, making both of the women snicker behind their hands, while Blaines entire face heated up until he was the color of a cherry. Distracted by the plate of cake that was set in front of him, Kurt abandoned the wish that probably wouldnt come true now that hed said it out loud, and he scooped up a big bite and stuffed it into his mouth. "Yummy!"

They ate in silence for several minutes, too engrossed in the delicious, but store bought, cake to empty their mouths for long enough to get words out, other than Elizabeths quiet chide to her husband about the cake not being homemade, a concern of hers that he simply shrugged off because he didnt know how to make a cake with pretty flowers bordering the edges. When Elizabeth pushed away from the table, the rest of the adults also stood up, leaving Blaine and Kurt alone while they went off to the living room. Staring after them as he wondered what they could be up to, Blaine turned back to Kurt when his hand tenderly stroked his cheek. For the first time ever, Blaine was able to read Kurts mind, and before Kurt could ask for a single thing, he leaned in and dotted his lips with a quick peck. "Happy birthday." Blaine said quietly, making an endearing smile flip the corners of Kurts mouth up.

Before anything else could be said, the three other people returned to the kitchen, boxes and bags dangling from their hands. Elizabeth placed her load onto the table with a thud, dusting her hands on her dress before she started sorting through the plentiful gifts, pushing them into two separate piles. "Okay... Kurt, honey, these ones right here are for Blaine." She slid a square box between the two of them. "And this one is for both of you. Go ahead... open them up, you two. See what you got."

They snatched both ends of the gift that was shared between them, tearing away the tape and pieces of paper until two glittery microphones, attached to a pile of wires, showed through. "You can play a singing game on the TV." Elizabeth explained as her son thoroughly examined one of the microphones. "Its a lot like the game that we used to play, Kurt."

"Fun!" Kurt peeped, moving onto the next gift, which he ripped apart as if he was trying to take vengeance on it. Inside of this one was a makeup kit, with smaller versions of lip gloss tubes and eye shadow palettes. "Ill look like Maman now!" He exclaimed, taking the next gift that was passed to him and shredding the paper, which gave way to a packet of jewelry, many of them rings and necklaces. The rest of his gifts were mostly clothes, with a few that came up as scarfs or shoes. As Kurt went through his gifts, Blaine turned to his own, just as many as what Kurt got, even though it wasnt his birthday. Within them, he found a few shirts and pants, and also a pair of shoes, and, from Elizabeth, a small doll that looked just like Kurt.

Protectively pressing the doll to his chest, he looked over at Elizabeth, who was already gazing at him with a kind pair of eyes. "Thank you." He said softly, and Elizabeth grinned, scrubbing his dark curls again. He twisted back around to Kurt, who was smothered in so many pieces of paper, and ribbons, and chunks of cardboard that he almost couldnt tell where Kurt started and ended. Kurt was admiring a doll that was just like the one that Blaine had, only a smaller version of himself.

Thrusting the doll into the air so everyone could get a good look at it, Kurt screeched very loudly, "It looks like Blaine! Maman, do you see? Did you think it looked like Blaine when you were sewing it for me?" His blue eyes flicked over to Blaine, becoming very round when he spotted Blaines doll. "Its me, Maman! Its a tiny Kurt!" Lifting his doll to his face, Kurt smacked a kiss onto its fuzzy face, then he leaned over and grabbed Blaine, forcing him to bend his head so he could also pepper him with kisses. "This Blaine isnt as hairy. I have cotton in my mouth!" His face scrunched as he wiped the hair from his lips, making the others at the table laugh at the dramatic show he put on. "I love the small Blaine just a little more than I love the even smaller Blaine, Maman! This one can talk to me."

Elizabeth tittered at her sons fascination with the tiny dolls, "Would you have liked me to put in a voice box, darling?" She cupped her sons cheek, drawing him closer to herself so she could kiss his cheek, "Im glad you like your gifts, sweet. And you, too, Blaine. Have you had a good birthday?"

"Ive had the best birthday ever!" Kurt laughed, tucking his head under Blaines chin as he wound his arms around him. "I didnt know you would be here, Maman, but you were! And Blaine was here, too! This is the first time hes ever celebrated my birthday." He added, as if she didnt already know. "I got to be with some of my favorite people today, and I didnt know that I would!" Abruptly, his line of thought discontinued, and he distracted himself with slapping Blaines arm, "Come, Blaine! I want to beat you at a singing contest!"

When her son leapt off of his chair and ran out of the kitchen, Elizabeth arched her brows at the place he once sat, just as startled as Blaine by the sudden movement. She looked over at Blaine, who was slowly slinking from his chair, and she giggled, "He really does appreciate you being here, darling. Hes just very competitive when it comes to things that he thinks hes the best at." She winked at him, lowering her voice, "Why dont we go in there and show him up, Blaine? Hell never admit that he lost, but well know, wont we?"

Blaine smiled at Elizabeth, letting her take his hand and lead him into the living room, where Kurt was already jumping around in front of the TV, like a boxer trying to intimidate his opponent. She lightly pressed on his hand, giving him the boost of confidence that he needed to take the other microphone and show Kurt who was really the good singer, even though he couldnt get most of the notes out because he was laughing too hard as Kurt put all of his effort into singing louder than Blaine, who, although he badgered about wanting to be the best of the two of them, really was glad when it came out as a tie after Blaine nearly turned it into a shouting competition. He even kissed him on the cheek to show him how happy he was that Blaine had also won.

Blaine had gone through this before, dealt with separation from people he loved, but nothing voided the bittersweet sorrow that hovered like a raincloud over his head, billowing and swelling, stretching so thin that it was ready to burst into tears at any second. This had first happened with Finn and Puck, during their high school years, when Karofsky had done everything in his power to tear Blaine, who had glued himself onto them, off of them. Despite how much he missed them, he knew that it was probably for the best, that the farther away from him they were, the more distance they put between themselves and Karofsky. And, with Kurt, years after that, when he had gone off to France, which Blaine had once thought was the place that Kurt felt happiest, until he realized, along with Kurt, that the place that he was at his best was wherever his family was. When Kurt had left him, hed tried to make himself keep his chin up for Kurt, who had thought that he knew his dreams and was fulfilling them, even though, deep down, theyd both been dying. Then, later, his own child, his Hunter, had been taken from him, and now it was the same for Archer, even though one was ultimately safer than the other.

Blaine was starting to realize that experience with tragedy didnt mean being able to inherit the ability to numb everything out, but to know how to get through it without slowly digressing into insanity. What Blaine did know wasnt from Santana, who, although fronting that she had somehow managed to block everything out with alcohol, had eventually lost her mind in those few moments that she was sober, or from Finn, who tried to give Blaine what he thought he wanted, but had eventually failed because what Blaine had really needed was Kurt and Kurt alone, and especially not from Karofsky, who had taken his problems and put a new identity on them, ignoring the fact that he was human, and that all along the guilt was really eating him from the inside out. Blaine thrived on what hed been taught from the family he had left, such as Kurt, who had once told him that even though there is sadness, there is also happiness, somewhere out there, and Keegan, who had managed to live through the worst pain Blaine thought there could be by being a better man for those he had left who he loved.

Unlike every other time some disaster threatened to destroy his life, Blaine refused to be the victim, because he realized that he still had family all around him, people who needed him like he needed them, and, most importantly, a husband who he couldnt abandon like he once had. He might have just lost another child, but so had Kurt. The previous day, just minutes after Coopers car had rolled away, and Kurt had fled into the house, leaving only a trail of tears for Blaine to follow up to his sewing room, Blaine had wanted away from the house, especially from the top floor, where Archers room had been. But hed wanted his husband with him, so hed knocked on the door to his sewing room, and then hed tried the doorknob when hed received no response. He was taken aback that, for the first time ever, the door was locked, not letting any visitors in. Blaine had backed away from the door, even though he hadnt wanted to, because he knew that Kurt wasnt a person to turn away company, and usually even ran into the arms of whoever would hold him so he could cry on that persons shoulder.

But, for once, Kurt wanted to be alone, an idea that was both alarming and terrifying to Blaine. Blaine was the one who always retreated into his hard shell, and he was the one who Kurt had to pry out of it each time. Hed never been on the outside of Kurts clammed up shell, which Blaine hadnt actually thought he had to pull around himself. But hed left, anyway, unsure of how to handle being locked out of Kurts world, and hed walked out of the house and took a few turns around the pathways in the garden, avoiding the trail that led to the spot where Archers flowers had once been planted. He didnt realize how long hed walked until he spotted a blond head at the end of one of the pathways, Keegans pale skin glowing under the light that shined off of the moon. Keegan had called him back in for dinner, so Blaine had returned inside, if only to eat, and then leave again. And then Keegan had told him that Kurt wouldnt come down, and that hed knocked on the door at least ten times and repeated himself that it was time to eat, only to get nothing from the other side, as if no one was behind it.

Panicked by the thought that Kurt still had yet to emerge, and hadnt gotten over his initial devastation, Blaine had hurried up the stairs, taking them three at a time, and hed pounded on the door to the sewing room. Yelling Kurts name, hed jiggled and tugged the doorknob so much that he eventually heard a snap, obviously because hed broken through the thin metal, and hed slammed into the room, shocked to find Kurt limply curled up in the windowsill. His arms had been wrapped around his stomach, which was shaking as he silently cried to himself, a constant flow of tears spilling from his lashes. Blaine wondered if he had ever stopped crying since Archer had been taken. Hed ran over to his husband, kneeling in front of him and whispering soft things to him, so startled when Kurts face remained absolutely blank, his blue eyes showing no sign that he even knew Blaine was there. But as soon as he slid his arms under Kurts body, which had been freezing because it had been pressed to the cold glass of the window for a few hours, Kurt had let out this horrible scream that Blaine had never wanted to hear again. Hed struggled against Blaines hold, flinging his hands out and pushing on Blaines chest, his legs wildly kicking.

Even though Kurt was fighting against him, Blaine had scooped his sobbing husband up, carrying him out of the sewing room and over to their bedroom, where he had laid Kurt on the bed. Kurt had finally stilled all of his movements, collapsing onto the mattress like a glass doll that had been broken one too many times to even have the energy to sit up. All was silent from Kurt after that, and Blaine, even though his stomach was growling because hed spent the entire evening in the garden, without any food carried with him, had laid down beside of his husband, winding him in his arms. An entire night passed that Blaine hardly slept, too focused on Kurts tight body, which had shuddered and heaved for several hours. Overtime, Blaine had become so weary that hed passed out into blackness, and when hed awoke, Kurt was already gone.

This was how Blaine started his first morning without Archer, in a quiet home, without the screeches of his baby, who usually climbed onto his bed and slapped him awake so he could make him breakfast. He didnt even have his husband, who always giggled at this routine, simply because he wasnt the victim of it, there beside of him, peering up at him from his white pillow with those big, blue eyes of his. When Blaine had married Kurt, hed told himself that this was the person he wanted to wake up with each day, so to not have him there instantly gave Blaine a bad feeling in his gut. He shuffled off of his bed, his crusty eyes doing a sweep over their recently tidied bedroom, which would have appeared completely empty had it not been for all of Kurts perfumes and lotions that were scattered over their dresser. No matter how many times the sleepy, yawning version of himself was startled awake by the throb of a stubbed toe after he banged it against a toy that Archer had left on his bedroom floor, Blaine had always privately enjoyed sitting back down on his bed so he could rub his hurt foot as he pretended to glare at his son, who never felt a bit of remorse, but always laughed at Blaines pain until his cheeks hurt.

After he changed out of his dusty clothes and into a blue button up and a pair of white capris, he paced out of his bedroom, working on the last few buttons on the front of his shirt. Thumping down the stairs to a living room that smelled like cinnamon oatmeal, he stuffed his hands in his pockets, looking down before he reached the last step at Keegan, who was lounging on the couch, his legs crossed and one arm under his head, as he held a book up to his nose. "Hey." Blaine said, blinking at Keegans uninterested expression, proof that he had already bored of his time spent sitting around, when he usually used the mornings to wrestle and play with Archer. "Is Kurt making breakfast?"

"No." Keegan shook his head, closing his book and setting it aside. "I made breakfast a little while ago... I left a plate for you on the stove. It should still be hot." At the look that Blaine gave him, Keegan slowly lifted the top half of his body, one slender hand raising to his hair and shaking out his curls. "Kurts up in his sewing room again. He wouldnt come down when I asked him if he wanted to eat."

Blaine raised his brows at that, continuing down the stairs, and when he got to the bottom, he headed for the kitchen, but was stopped by Keegans voice, which was a little harder to the ear as he spoke this time. "If youre wondering... no, this isnt normal... at all." Blaine turned back around, giving Keegan a strange look. "Kurt doesnt pull away like this. He never has... I never thought he would. He doesnt like to be abandoned... that much was made clear when he lost his mom. But hes never withdrawn before. If anything, he becomes needier to the people he still has. I dont understand it... I cant understand it. If hes not letting you in, he definitely wont let me in. Youre his husband... You need to do something."

Fiddling with his thumbs, which he wished were holding something so he could put his hands somewhere that wouldnt seem awkward, Blaine looked down at them, noticing how muscular they were, the veins bulging from the tops of them, and his knuckles dusted in coarse hair. He was so much more of a brute than either of the others in the home, not quite so distinctly from Keegan, who, despite being a well-groomed blond, was very dominantly male with the way he held himself, from his demanding words to his carefree attitude. But, especially so with Kurt, who was, at first glance, masculine in no way but one. As far as Blaine was concerned, Kurt had taken after his mom with everything except his ability to adapt well. Kurt might have let the wind carry him through his life, but he always needed to know where it was sweeping him off to. Elizabeth had been independent enough to separate herself from her family in order to live out her dreams, but Kurt simply needed to depend on others, which was why he was so scared of losing those he loved.

Flicking his blank eyes back up to Keegans face, which wasnt frustrated, but instead determined, Blaine reached up to his nape, "Keegan... why arent you concerned about Kurt being this way?"

He barely finished his question before Keegan said firmly, "Because its Kurt. Kurts strong... unlike anyone Ive ever met. Ive never... been able to be like him. When I lost Evie... I poisoned myself, Blaine. I was selfish... and cowardly. Evie might have been my entire world, but I wasnt thinking of the other planets that revolved around the center of my universe. Evie told me... before he died... that it was okay. That I had to keep taking care of myself, and move on. Ive never moved on... but Im still here, arent I? Kurts the only reason that I am. He came back in time to revive me... and when I woke up at the hospital, it was Kurt sitting there, holding my hand. He put meaning to what Evie said... that I still had people who needed me, and who I needed... and that it was unfair to Evie. He told me that he loved me because I was there... and if I wasnt there, Id be throwing away all that Evie gave me. Kurts been positive through his entire life. When his mom died, he never asked why it had to be him... but he said that he was grateful that he even had her... because she was so beautiful and kind to him in the short time that he did have her. Kurts stood up to a psychopath who attempted to ruin all of our lives. Kurts whats saved us, Blaine. Do you think I would be alive if it werent for him... or you be alive, for that matter? I know that Kurt will be fine. I know that hes human, too... despite how perfect he might be... and that he does have a breaking point. I know that hes been everything for us... and I think its time we let him lean on us for a change. And I want to be there for him... the only reason I havent smashed down his door is because youre here... youre his husband. Im not going to take your role in this... Im respecting you as the bigger priority in his life because I know how I would feel... if I were in your shoes... and Evie and I were going through this, instead. This was your child with him... Even if I tried, I wouldnt be able to say the right things. Youre the one who went through this with him... and you need to be the one to comfort him."

Blaine gaped at Keegan as he turned back to his book, idly flipping a page as if they hadnt discussed anything. He tried to come up with words to express how appreciative he was for Keegan, who Blaine felt was more of a brother to him than the one that he actually had-at least, he could tell all of his secrets to this one-but all he muttered was, "Keegan... you dont know how grateful I am... to have you. You mean more to Kurt than you probably realize... and I want you to be there for him. You probably deserve to be the shoulder he has to cry on even more than I do... I know how badly I pissed you off when you first heard about me... when Kurt went to France... and I made all of those stupid mistakes because I was scared... and I hadnt yet accepted that someone like Kurt could truly love me. I want you to know that... every day... I wish I could take it all back... all of that lost time that I could have been loving him. Kurts forgiven me, I know... but... I dont think that Ill ever really forgive myself-"

Keegan suddenly smiled, a weary look like hed heard this all before and had stopped caring about it. "You sound like Evie did... for a long time, Blaine. I dont think that Evie forgave himself until the moment that I was holding him in my arms... as he died. That was when he told me he loved me... when he came to accept what we had... that I couldnt have cared less if he had been with one other man, or a thousand men. I just knew that he loved me... and that was all that mattered. And Im going to tell you the same thing that I told him. There isnt one cell in my body thats angry with you, Blaine... and, sure, it pissed me off when I first found out about it. How could I not be? I saw that Kurt was crying over a man... and I wanted to punch you in the face. But... what I think now doesnt really matter, does it?" He nodded his head at the ceiling, his blond curls swinging to the side, "Your husband is upstairs... and I know that he doesnt like to be kept waiting."

Blaine nodded his head, one of his hands reaching out for the kitchen door and pushing on it. "I should go... be with him." Pasting a small smile onto his lips, he fumbled with the door, making Keegan chuckle at how socially graceless he was. "Um... thank you, Keegan... for everything." He turned away from Keegan, who shook his head at the open page of his book, and he walked into the kitchen, where a bowl of oatmeal was still steaming on the cooling stovetop. He picked up the bowl, sticking a spoon into it, and he carried it back into the living room, where all was silent as Keegan thumbed another page to the side. Pacing over to the stairs, he thought of everything Keegan had told him as he walked up each one. Despite never being married, Keegan was so much more experienced than Blaine was with his relationship, in which he had gone through nearly every bad and good. Keegan and Everett had had a dynamic, challenging love for each other because both of them had been two strong people who butted heads over anything they could, almost because it was fun to them to bicker with each other, while Blaines relationship was much more docile and safe, a place that he could rest assured in knowing that it would always be there, which was exactly what he needed. Even though their relationships were so different, Keegan still understood more than what Blaine did about both, simply because his hadnt changed over the past eight years, and hed had that time to examine everything that had gone on before. Blaine might have been the one married, but when he really thought about what he knew about love, he was the naïve one.

Getting up to the top floor, Blaine turned left, heading in the direction of his and Kurts bedroom, and Kurts sewing room. He took one hand off of the warm bowl so he could lightly rap on the door, blowing out heavily when there wasnt the sound of a pen dropping within. Lowering his hand, he tried the doorknob, blinking as he heard the click of the broken lock disconnecting. He pushed the door aside, feeling a rush of cold air hit his body, and he winced at the sight of Kurt, who was once again curled up in the windowsill with only a thin blanket draped over his shaking form. As Blaine approached his husband on soft feet, he saw more of his face be revealed, his blue eyes flickering over the green lawn. The image he was seeing must have been blurred because teardrops had gathered over his glassy eyes, distorting the clear blue within. "Kurt?" Blaine said quietly, lowering to his knees and setting the bowl aside. He placed his hand on Kurts back, gently rubbing his soft skin, which was exposed because his gown had fallen off of his shoulder blade. "Kurt... sweetheart... are you hungry?"

Kurt shook his head, his bare arms wrapping around his chest, which shuddered as he inhaled a deep breath. Blaine sat back on his heels, giving himself more balance so he could slide his arms under Kurts body and pull him to his chest, where he weakly burrowed, his efforts hampered by his lack of energy. "I brought oatmeal for you... in case you want something to eat." When Kurt tried to turn his fatigued body over, Blaine quickly gathered him in his strong arms and bundled him to his chest, lifting him from the windowsill. Kurt fell completely against Blaine, his head tucking under his chin while his arms looped around him. "Okay... okay... come here. Shh... come here." Hooking his arm under Kurts thighs and back, he held him like a small child on his lap, slowly rocking him back and forth. Kurt softly sniffled, his nose wrinkling, so Blaine bent down to peck kisses all over it. "Hush... Im right here. Ive got you."

Suddenly, Kurts bell-like voice floated up to Blaines ears, so high pitched and soft that he sounded like a small fairy. "I a-always wondered why my parents were s-so protective of me when I was small... why any d-decent parent should be protective... and n-now I know why. Theres n-nothing harder than losing a child... and we l-lost two." Fresh tears swelled in Kurts eyes, rolling down his white cheeks, so Blaine hushed him again and peppered his skin in light kisses. "Our f-family is so small, Blaine! My heart is b-breaking into little pieces." Weeping even harder, Kurt pressed his damp face into Blaines throat, clinging to him with all his might. "Is this what unhappiness f-feels like? How people l-live like this day after d-day... Its so s-sad to think of p-people who have never felt happiness... the h-happiness of a man to hold them tight... or a child to t-touch their faces with those tiny fingers that a-always smell like milk and bananas."

Blaine weepily smiled at that, tightening his grip on Kurt as he smothered his face in his dark blond locks, breathing in the scent of his strawberry shampoo. "You were a beautiful parent, Kurt." He whispered into his small ear, making the shell of it turn red as his stubble brushed the sensitive skin. "I loved seeing you take care of them... you were gentle and caring and sweet to them... There was nothing more gorgeous to me than seeing you hold their hands and sing to them at night. Youre such a nurturing person... You get that from your mom. I can tell that she spoiled you silly... or else you wouldnt be the wonderful person that you are now. Archer and Hunter were lucky to have you while they did." Blaine shook his head, clutching Kurt like he would never let go when his fingers played in the fuzzy hairs at his nape, Kurts lips dotting kisses onto his neck. "You didnt have to love them, Kurt. You didnt even have to like them. But you did with such a passion... You made them feel perfect and happy and confident to be who they were. Hunters gone now... but, Kurt, you made his life as good as it could be while he was alive. And Archers with his real parents now... but youve forever left something in his life... and I know that hell never forget what you did for him. The way you loved these children was just a reminder... every single day... of how good of a person you are. Neither of them were your responsibility. I was the one who took them on. You didnt have to have anything to do with them. But you did... and, over the past three years, seeing you raise them with a pair of open arms whenever they needed a hug just... made me fall so much more in love with you. When I married you, Kurt... I was looking forward to the future... and I still am, because I know that, with every day, youll become that much more beautiful to me."

When Blaine cupped his pointy chin in the palm of his hand, Kurt closed his eyes, his lashes draping across his cheeks, which made the last few tears splash onto his pink skin. Blaine tilted his chin down to Kurts face, brushing his mouth across Kurts parted lips, which tasted salty. Gently kissing Kurt, Blaine opened his mouth and whispered, "I love you, Kurt... with every single part of myself. I know that its hard, my sweet, precious thing... but Ill do anything to make you happy again. Can you promise me that youll let me love you?" Kurt tiredly nodded his head, his hands sliding up to Blaines jaw, which he pressed his fingers into, scratching the tips of them on Blaines rough skin. Raising his head, Blaine kissed Kurts forehead, bringing his head down to the cradle of his chest. "You can rest now, Kurt. Ill keep you warm and safe. Its alright now. Ill stay right here." Kurt squished himself to his husbands chest, his watery eyes falling shut as he drifted off to the sound of Blaines thumping heart. Wrapping Kurt up in his strong arms, Blaine looked down at this beautiful boy who was somehow his, and was somehow the most loving creature hed ever come across. "How could it have taken me so long to give myself completely to you?" Blaine whispered to Kurt, who was already snoozing, as he wiped a tear off of his cheek with the pad of his thumb. "How could I have thought that it was ever Karofsky... when it was really you... all along?"

Nudging his lips onto Kurts eyebrow, Blaine left his mouth there, nuzzling his face against Kurts. "I love you." He said again, watching Kurts entire body relax as if he was somehow hearing his husbands sweet nothings. He would have shut his eyes because he was so worn out, but nothing was better than gazing at his husband, who looked so peaceful as he slept in Blaines arms, protected against the world. Kurts thick, blond lashes fluttered as he dreamed, making Blaine grin as he smoothed a fallen hair off of his forehead. Maybe he was just ridiculous, and maybe it wasnt normal that Kurt, after years of knowing him, still made his heart skip a beat with his abnormal beauty, both inside and out, but not a lot about Blaine fit in, and his relationship with Kurt was one of the most eccentric things about him, even though it was a lot like the one that Keegan had had with Everett, so Blaine just chuckled as he squeezed his husband tighter, idyllically happy that Kurt was still there.

Hunter was standing in the middle of Karofskys kitchen, digging through his drawers for any goods that he seemed to quickly run out of-simply because he hadnt had a full meal in weeks, and gorged himself on the most unhealthy of foods until he vomited them up, emptying his stomach once more. Hed just slammed another shut, coming up with nothing worth considering taking with him, when he heard the door creak open, for once letting in the noise of voices, instead of the mumbles of the TV drifting out of the door. Flattening himself to the counter, Hunter turned around, silently cursing himself and his inability to time his raids perfectly. Along with food, time was another thing he didnt have enough of. Suspiciously staring at where he knew the kitchen door was, Hunter slunk forward like a weasel, creeping across the tile on light feet that hed trained to never be heavy, in case he tripped over something and it sent him reeling. If he balanced his weight as if he was air, he never stumbled far, avoiding any collisions that could be nasty.

Pushing the door farther open, Hunter glanced around the white room, finding the large shadows of two men, one of them Karofskys. At least, he hoped. But, then again, what could be worse than Karofsky? He cocked his head to the side, straining to make out what the men were chuckling about, and he suddenly heard what was unmistakably Karofskys gravelly voice, interrupted every few seconds as he blew out heavily, a stick most likely hanging from his mouth. "Do you want something to eat?" He asked the other man, who could be heard shedding what was probably a coat, the fabric crinkling as it slid down his arms. Hunter backed away from the door, his mouth falling open in a silent cry when it pushed open, and Karofsky nearly ran into him. "Oh." He said, as if he was surprised to see Hunter standing there, almost as much as Hunter was to Karofsky. "Hey, Hunter. This is a man from my work. Hes going to hang out for a little while." Karofsky reached down to scrub Hunters hair, pointing him out to the other man who must have been close by. "Devon, this is Hunter, my kid."

Hunter remembered that his daddys middle name had been Devon, something that he considered with a small frown. The man stepped closer to Hunter, who reacted to the vibrations his big feet made by shrinking away, until he felt a pair of muscular hands come to his shoulders. "I didnt know you had a kid. How old is he?" The new man scratched the top of his head, making him sneer as he worked to spike up his hair, which had become too long and hung down in his eyes if he let it down.

Karofsky chuckled at some untold joke, "Neither did I. He should be nearing... three, I think. I got his mom pregnant near the start of my senior year." Obviously made uncomfortable by something the man did, Karofsky cleared his throat after he shut the fridge, "Shes not around anymore. Dont worry... Im completely gay. Theres something absolutely disgusting about the vagina that I want no part in. I had enough of it the night that I was drunk and banged his mom in the back of a car." Hunter felt Karofsky kneel in front of him again, idly rubbing a powdering of dirt from his cheek. "Were going to watch some TV, bud. Why dont you hang out for a while? Ill make you a sandwich."

Hunter figured that he had nothing better to do with his time, so he let Karofsky take his hand and lead him back to the living room, where he picked him up and set him onto the couch. Karofsky went away again, his shadowy form clunking away from Hunter, who scrunched himself up when the new man lowered beside of him. "Ive got bologna right now, so thats what were having!" Karofsky shouted from the kitchen, and Hunter winced as the man yelled back an okay to him. Rubbing his ear, Hunter muddled up his face as bile rose in his throat at the thought of scarfing down another of Karofskys bologna sandwiches, which were often burnt to a crisp and leaking grease.

Swallowing the puke that would undoubtedly come back up later, Hunter settled back into the couch, sucking his stomach in when an arm stretched across his lap. "Hey, little buddy... did you know that you have the coolest dad ever?" Annoyed, Hunter leaned away from the man, not taking him up on his conversation when they were on completely different pages. Before Hunter said anything, he wanted this man to know that Karofsky was not his real dad. "We got to talking at work... and I think hes alright. This might become a daily thing, huh? Would it be okay if I dated your dad?"

Hunter couldnt have cared less if the man took the big, sweaty body onto himself, as long as it wasnt touching Hunter anymore. Shrugging a shoulder, Hunter felt the man finger a piece of his hair that had become shaggy and unkempt at the side of his face. "Youre so skinny... What is Karofsky feeding you? Hey, Karofsky! Is he eating? I can see every bone in his face."

"Sometimes he gets fussy." Karofsky lied, making Hunter raise his brows. How much more interesting this relationship that Karofsky had somehow gotten his hands on had suddenly become. "He doesnt like to eat with me... so he doesnt eat anything except what he can get his hands on in the kitchen. When he gets hungry enough, hell change his mind. Thats the way my dad raised me. I learned to take what was offered to me."

"You have to eat something, little guy." Hunter noticed how much he really didnt like being spoken to in such a condescending way. Tilting his head toward the TV, which buzzed alive with the muffled dialogue of some cartoon, Hunter listened to the man click through channels until he settled on something with plenty of jokes about sex and murder. "Do you have a favorite toy, Hunter?"

Hunter thought that this man was pathetic for trying. Hed stopped being a normal child the moment that hed met Karofsky, and he wasnt at all entertained by the idea of being a nice host for this man. Laying his head in his hand, Hunter started to shake his leg, which the man must have noticed because his large, warm hand slid down to his thigh and rested on it. "My teddies." He said, an easy pick out of the few toys he had, them and nothing else.

"I see." The man noted, his hand tightening on Hunters leg as he gently started to move his fingers, pressing them in. Hunter peeled his leg out from under his hand, but the grip became like a vice, so firm that Hunter let out a gasp of pain. "Hey... its okay, little guy. Im not here to hurt you. I just really like your dad." His calloused fingertips slid up Hunters leg, pausing at the top of his thigh, just below the triangle of his crotch. "You look a lot like him, you know. You have his eyes... only... theres something different about yours. Something better." Abruptly, he bent closer to Hunter, who ducked to avoid the man who had crossed more boundaries than even Karofsky had. Feeling a massive hand close around his jaw, Hunter pursed his lips so he could resist puckering them, smelling the mans sour, spicy breath as he hovered over him, blowing large gusts of wind that moved Hunters hair.

As soon as the mans chapped mouth closed over his, Hunter breathed a raspy hiss, his hands coming up to the mans face and clawing his cheeks. The man howled with rage, immediately removing himself from Hunter so he could grab the swollen lines of skin that were already bubbling with droplets of blood. "You brat!" He roared at him, flinging his hand out and smacking Hunter across his face, making Hunter scream loudly enough to shake the entire house. "Im out of here! Karofsky, forget about me sleeping over!"

Karofsky, who must have come running when he first heard the raucous, let out a ferocious sound. "You fucker!" Hunter didnt know which one of them Karofsky was referring to, so he prepared himself to be the one who had messed up the one relationship Karofsky seemed to have had in months, if not years, by huddling into a small ball, but, suddenly, there was a sound of skin slapping skin, but Hunter felt no sharp needles bursting through him. "Get out of my house now! You dont touch him, you pervert!" Something scraped across what might have been the material of jeans, followed by the sound of a man releasing all of the air in his lungs after it was kicked out of him. Hunter jumped when a door slammed, and while he was still steadying himself from that alarming bang, a pair of hands came to his face, nearly making him shoot out of his skin. "Its okay... Hes gone. I didnt know he would do that. Are you alright, baby?"

Hunter blinked his blank eyes at Karofsky, who seemed to be a replacement of the one that was there a year ago. He didnt know if he should trust this Karofsky, because it seemed all too good to be true, but it was all he had right now. Reaching out for Karofsky, Hunter grabbed onto his hair, feeling him scoop him up under his bottom and pin him to his chest. Karofsky carefully rocked him back and forth, so Hunter gratefully thudded his head to his chest, peacefully closing his eyes, but opening them once more when he still didnt hear a heartbeat. He thought he had the right side of his chest. Grabbing handfuls of Karofskys shirt, Hunter felt around, pausing where he was certain he should have felt something thumping. He immediately realized that Karofsky was still heartless, and that this had been a mere ploy to bring Hunter to him, because hed realized that he was getting farther away. Maybe hed even discovered the missing knives, and had taken off his stupidity for long enough to know exactly what Hunter was doing. Maybe this had been his last effort to make Hunter give up on trying to get away from Karofsky, but Hunter wasnt an idiot. Apparently, though, neither was Karofsky, who was more than he had first let on. As Hunter clung to Karofsky, he began to silently panic, because he came to understand that he was in the arms of a man who wanted nothing more than to eventually have him dead, after he got him naked.