Blaine winced as he heard a car door slam shut from outside, and he pulled his babies closer to himself. Looking over at Santana, he leaned closer to her when Burt got up to answer the door. He heard his gruff voice cynically questioning the woman Blaine had just married, "Youre Quinn?" He muttered, stepping aside to let her in.

Seeing her come into his line of sight, Blaine lifted his head and stared at her, still feeling absolutely nothing. "Its time to go, Blaine." She snapped her fingers. "We have a flight to get on. Ill meet you in the car... hurry up."

She turned away and walked out the door, and Burt glared after her. "Shes very rude." Looking at Blaine, Burt rubbed the top of his head and coughed, "Ill help you take your stuff out, Blaine."

Carole held her fingertips to her lips and she tried to swallow a low sob, "Blaine, you dont have to do this. You dont have to go with her."

Blaine remained silent, getting up from the couch and wandering up the stairs. Wrapping his arms around himself, Blaine dug his fingernails into his palms and stepped into his empty bedroom. There was only a bed and dresser left behind, the rest of it stripped from the room and stuffed into bags and boxes. He went to sit down on the edge of the bed and stared at the floor, remembering what it felt like to be with Kurt in here.

He remembered lying beside of Kurt in bed, rolling on top of him and hearing him squeal with laughter. He would always try to hide his blushing face, his feet kicking under the blankets. He remembered how he felt when he woke up with Kurt draped across his chest, hugging him so tightly, his fluttering lashes tickling his nipple.

Blaine closed his eyes and felt a tear roll down his cheek. He had to stop. Stop thinking about it. He wondered if it had ever been real, if Kurt was even real. Standing from the bed, Blaine turned around and arched his brows at the sight of Kurt standing by the window. Kurt smiled at him, that little dimpled smile that Blaine adored. "Blaine," he squeaked, holding his hands out for Blaine.

Blaine stepped toward him and reached for him, sliding their fingers together. "Blaine... I love you so much."

"I love you, too." Blaine muttered, then tightened his grip when he felt Kurt slipping away from him. "Dont go!"

Kurt looked past him, and then he was gone when Blaine heard another voice, much deeper than Kurts pretty, high pitched voice. "Youre really going to leave?"

Blaine whipped around and faced Finn, his hands still trembling from the feeling of holding Kurts. "I dont have a choice." He whispered, crossing his arms and walking past Finn.

Finn grabbed Blaines shoulder, startling him. Pulling Blaine close, Finn rubbed Blaines back and kissed the side of his neck. Blaine jerked away from him. "Ill remember our night together." He whispered, clinging to Blaine. "I dont want you to leave... but I know I cant stop you. Bye, Blaine."

Blaine swallowed thickly and shoved his fingers into his hair. He didnt want to say goodbye anymore, so he pushed Finn off of him, "Go away."

He strode out of his bedroom and only looked back once, catching a brief glimpse of what used to be his and Kurts. Hurrying down the stairs before he could run back and lock himself up, Blaine stopped in the middle of the living room. He was so confused on what to do or what to say. He just wanted to run... leave... not say goodbye to the best thing that had ever happened to him.

Glancing at Carole, who had tears in her eyes, Blaine shook his head and grabbed his tiny babies. He rested them against his shoulders and felt Pavarotti and Everett paw at his pant leg. He bent and let the little birds climb up his sleeve, then he walked out of the house without another word.

Santana was in front of Quinns car, her arms crossed and eyes too dark, and Burt was loading his suitcases into the back. Raising a brow at him as he approached her, she whispered, "This will come back to bite you in the ass, Blaine."

"I know." Blaine nodded his head, "But its all I have right now."

"Dont shit with me." Shoving his chest, Santana sighed and ran her hand through her hair when Quinn beeped the horn. "I guess that bitch wants you. Get going, asshole."

Blaine held his arms out, but she quickly rejected him and stepped past him, "Im not saying bye to you. Youll come back... when you realize what a stupid mistake you made."

"Dont do this, San-" He quietly begged, not sure if he could take the sting of her bitterness.

She kept her distance, turning away from him and striding up to his house. Blaine looked away after she disappeared inside, and he felt Burt come up behind him. Closing his eyes, Blaine stood very still as Burt wrapped his arms around him. "Take care, kid." He patted Blaines back, "I want you to know that youre always welcome home, no matter what youve done. Kurt would want it that way. This is where you belong... youre one of my sons and I love you just as much as I do Kurt and Finn." Squeezing Blaines hand, Burt leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Blaine finally felt himself breaking, tears dripping from the corners of his eyes. "Im sorry I hurt you." He whispered, but before Burt could respond he opened the passenger door and stepped inside.

He reached back to set Archer and Hunter in their car seats, then felt Quinn put the car in reverse. She backed out of the driveway and Blaine looked up at his house for the last time, Burt standing in the driveway with his hands in his pockets, and Carole and Santana in the doorway. He quickly glanced away, fearing that hed jump out of the car and go back to them.

Blaine dug his fingernails into his palms, but Quinn quickly reached over and slapped his hands, "Gross, Blaine. What are you doing? Youre drawing blood. Are those scars? Thats disgusting."

Trying to release his palms, Blaine stared at his slashed skin, skin that would never heal and would always remind him of what hed done. "Disgusting..." he whispered, wiping his hands on his pants. "Disgusting."

Quinn ignored him and kept driving, reaching the limits of Lima within twenty minutes. Blaine looked back one last time, trying to memorize the place where hed fallen in love and found a family... or what he thought was his family.

Kurt spooned another bite of ice cream into his mouth, snuggling deeper under his blankets as he watched Belle gently nurse the Beasts wounded arm, his eyes darkening and slowly softening on her. "Its so romantic," he peeped, happily gazing at the screen when his aunt walked in the room.

"Hey, Kurt..." she knocked on his door, distracting him from his fifteenth romantic movie, "sweetie, youve been watching those romance movies all day. Dont you want to take a break?" She pointed at Kurts bowl of ice cream. "And dont eat all my ice cream. Its my midnight snack, too."

Pushing the bowl away, Kurt murmured, "But its nice to see people so happy together. Everyone ends up together in romance movies... and they cant stop smiling."

"Oh, sweetie..." his aunt shook her head. "Why dont you look away from the TV for a little bit? You have a visitor." She gestured to someone he couldnt see, and then a man stepped into his doorway.

He had a very kind face, turquoise eyes and a pink mouth that was curved into a smirk. His skin was tan but his hair was a very light blond, swinging from the top of his head and wrapping around his face. He waved at Kurt, his grin widening, "Hi, Kurt."

Kurt recognized the voice immediately, even though hed changed so much, and he squealed, "Keegan!" Holding his arms out, he laughed when Keegan paced up to him and gripped him tightly. He didnt want to let him go, his embrace so comforting, his smell still spicy and outdoorsy. "Keegan... its so good to see you. Ive missed you so much."

Sitting down on the edge of Kurts bed, Keegan raised his brows at him, "You look really good, Kurt. You havent changed at all." He glanced at Laurice, who was still standing in the doorway, "I think Ive got him from here."

She smiled, "Good. He needs someone to cheer him up. Im going downstairs to get some ice cream before Kurt eats it all." Leaving the doorway, she vanished around the corner.

Kurt heard her walking down the stairs, then he looked back up at Keegan, "How did you know I was here?"

"Youre all over the media." Keegan snorted, laying down beside of Kurt and drawing his knees up. He took Kurts hand, "It was all too ridiculous to believe... but I just had to see you. How have you been? I heard you gave up on Broadway... I didnt want to believe that but there were pictures of it."

Kurt frowned, snuggling into Keegans side and laying his head on his shoulder. "I didnt mean to. Im very sorry that I messed up the show. I just... thought about my home in Ohio. I miss everything in Ohio, and I wanted to go home."

Keegan made a soft sound and rested his head on top of Kurts, his wavy hair tickling Kurt. "Why didnt you? Im kind of glad you didnt... because now I get to see you... but whyd you stay?"

Sighing, Kurt squeezed Keegans hand, "I was engaged... but I found out that he left me. So I stayed."

"Do you still love him?" Keegan muttered.

"I do... very much. I would go back to him if he asked me to." Curling up in a small ball, Kurt wrapped his arms around Keegan. "What about you? Have you been dating since...?" His voice got very small as he thought of the night that Keegan lost Everett, and how sad he had been for a long time after that. "Im sorry... I dont want to upset you."

Keegan shifted underneath him, clearing his throat a few times, "No... its okay. Its still hard... because no one knows how much I loved him. I still love him. Im crazy about him. So... no, I havent been dating. Im okay that way, you know." Sighing, Keegan tightened his arms around Kurt. "Everett is the only man Ill ever love, Kurt. Its not even a promise to myself... I know I wont love anyone else... not the way I love Everett."

Kurt closed his eyes, and for a few minutes everything was silent between them. He finally opened his eyes and whispered, "He almost killed my fiancé... and me."

"Who did?" Keegan started to sit up. "Who are you talking about?"

Shaking his head, Kurt said in a very tiny voice, "I knew that man... the one who took Everett from you."

Keegans tan face drained of color, "You knew him? What do you mean? Kurt, talk to me. Did he hurt you?" Touching Kurts arms, Keegan seemed to be trying to search him for wounds or bruises. "Shit, Kurt... he didnt do anything to you, did he? I hate him!"

Kurt pressed his lips together, "He didnt hurt me. Well... he did... but nothing that couldnt heal. My fiancé knew him better. They were best friends for a very long time. After he... attacked us, he went to America and changed his name. My fiancé didnt know... but Karofsky-the man who hurt us-became obsessed with him. I came to America and went to the same school as him... I was in the same class as him... and I didnt even know it. Blaine and I fell in love with each other, and that must have hurt Karofsky... so he did awful things to Blaine. He r-raped him... and beat him. But... Karofsky is in prison now."

"Hes in prison?" Keegan sounded absolutely shocked. "I thought hed never be captured! I just... wanted to know who he was. Why he took my Everett from me. Ive asked that question every day... what did we do wrong? People have called me a fag before... and theyve even hit me. I just never thought itd..." he choked and swallowed. "I was so stupid, Kurt. We shouldnt have gone into that alley. It was a stupid mistake... and Ive never stopped regretting it."

"It wasnt your fault." Kurt insisted, his voice getting higher as his emotions got the best of him. "Keegan, Karofsky was a cruel man. He was bitter and mean... and I thought he could change. I wanted him to be good. I talked to him..." his eyes filled with tears and he rubbed them with small fists, "but there was nothing I could do to help him. I know he didnt like gay people... but I dont think he liked anyone. And nobody liked him. It hurts that hes suffering so much... but then I think about all of the things hes done to you and to Blaine, and I-"

Kurt cut himself off and he wept into his hands, and Keegan pulled him closer, "Youve always been too nice." He whispered, rubbing Kurts back. "But I get it. His life is shit so he wants to take others down with him. I want to pity him... but I cant. He took my heart from me."

Kurt sobbed harder, "Why are some people so mean? Theyd be happier if they tried to understand... tried to be nice to others. Everett would still be here and Blaine would get better and-"

"Shh... I know." Keegan rubbed his back. "I think you care too much... youre too friendly. It makes it easier for you to get hurt by cruel people. You want to see the best in people... and sometimes theyre just mean." Weakly smiling at Kurt, Keegan whispered, "Youre still the same old Kurt. I love that about you... but its too easy to hurt you."

Kurt sniffled, "I just miss Everett... and Blaine was hurting himself because of what happened to him. His hands are so scarred because he clawed them... and he has bumps on his body because he was stabbed with glass. His ankle has a scar on it because Karofsky tried to shoot me and Blaine jumped in the way. Hes a monster."

"Yeah, he is." Pulling Kurt closer, Keegan said, "Listen... Kurt... its okay now. Im sure Blaine will get better now that hes gone, and I just needed to hear that. I didnt want the man who took Everett from me to get away with it. Look at me." He tilted Kurts chin so he could stare into his big, blue eyes and he whispered, "Youre really brave. Youve been through pain that some people never could. Thank you for telling me all of that. I needed to know."

Kurt hiccupped, "I needed to tell you."

Holding Kurt to his chest, Keegan turned to the TV, which was paused on Beauty and the Beast, "Whats with you and this story? Youve always liked it."

Wearily smiling, Kurt whispered, "I loved it as a child... and then I heard it again not too long ago and I realized how much I care for the beast. I like seeing him get better... and become a man again."

"Youre as sweet as sugar, Kurt." Keegan laughed aloud, sinking onto the bed beside of Kurt. "Can I watch it with you?"

"Dont go." Kurt pleaded, snuggling into Keegans chest. He felt better in Keegans arms, but nothing compared to opening his eyes and feeling those dark arms around him, those strong hands on his back and bottom, and those warm lips on his face.

Blaine awoke to the sound of sand crunching under tires and he opened his eyes to blackness, the only light shimmering from the waving ocean a few feet in front of him. "Ohio," he whispered, jerking upright. "I want to go home. I cant stay here."

Quinn put the car in park and reached to the backseat for her daughter, "Stop mumbling. Youll wake the babies. Im exhausted from driving since you slept the entire way, so stop talking. I have a headache."

Staring at Quinn as if hed never seen her before, Blaine felt tears fill his eyes. Quinn opened her car door and stepped outside, cradling Beth against her chest, but Blaine stayed behind. He looked at the ocean again, then at the sand, and he started to panic. "What have I done?" Pressing his hands to his face, Blaine yelped, "What the fuck have I done?" He helplessly dug his nails into his palms, anxiously scratching off the skin.

Throwing open his car door, Blaine fell onto the sand and clawed at the sharp pieces, the grittiness getting under his nails. "I want to go home!" He screamed, curling his hands into tight fists and tearing skin off in chunks. Blood burst from his skin and dropped to the sand in small puddles, staining the tan with dark red. "Kurt! Kurt!"

"What is the matter with you?" Someone shouted from behind him, and two hands wrapped around him. He was yanked to his knees and his chin was pinched. Quinn lifted his head so he could stare at her, "What, are you some kind of psycho? Stop! Youre freaking me out."

"Dont touch me!" He jerked away from her, "Youre not Kurt!" Slamming himself into the side of the car, he hissed, "Stay away from me, but dont go to the top floor. Thats mine." He yanked open the back door and saw his little babies, both of them staring at him with wide eyes. Reaching in, he unbuckled them and gathered them up, and Pavarotti and Everett hopped onto his arm.

He shakily got to his feet and stormed past her, hearing her voice calling after him, asking him if he needed to see a doctor, if he was taking medicine for his outbursts. He ignored her. Stepping inside the house, Blaine recognized the same furniture from all of those months ago, when hed taken Kurt to California. It all seemed so distant now, but Blaine could still remember it so clearly. He heard the door shut and he quickly stomped up the stairs, not wanting to face Quinn again. He found his way up to his bedroom and pushed the door open, seeing everything he used to be on the abandoned dressers and plastered to his walls.

He continued through his room to the little guest bedroom off to the side, and he picked that room. Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Blaine laid his little babies down and let his birds climb off his arm. He heard Quinn below him, moving things around and obviously looking for a place to sleep. He ignored her again, turning around and tucking his babies under the blankets. They batted at him and grabbed his fingers, but he pulled away when he felt his phone buzz.

Fishing it out of his pocket, Blaine gasped when he saw that the call was from Kurt. He twitched to answer it, but he closed his eyes and forced himself not to. Eventually the phone stopped vibrating and a voicemail popped up, and Blaine was helpless to it. He pressed his phone to his ear and listened to the sweet, soft sound of Kurts voice, still that same high pitched, bell-like chime. "Blaine... I dont have any idea of what I should say to you... or if I should say anything at all, but I know youve married someone else. It hurts me so much... Ive spent days crying about you. But I just want you to know that I want you to be happy... Id like to know that you are. Because you have a beautiful smile. I still love you so much..." there was a brief hesitation, and a quiet sniffle. "Im going to sleep now, so goodnight, Blaine. Sleep well. I love you."

Blaine replayed the message, his head hitting the pillow. He listened to Kurts melodic voice, not a hint of resentment or guilt in it. He was starting to wonder if Burt had been right, if Kurt hadnt cheated on him at all. Gasping, Blaine played the message over again when it finished. He kept playing it again and again, hearing Kurts innocent voice, talking to him the same way he did before Finn even showed him that picture.

Not realizing what he was doing, Blaine hit the call back button and listened to his phone ring. After about ten rings, there was a click. That same soft voice whispered, "Blaine?"

Blaine immediately panicked and stared at his phone, wondering what the fuck hed just done. There was a call to Kurt on his screen, and he was about thirty seconds into the call. He wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Kurts quiet voice peeped through the phone again, "You dont have to talk to me... but please-" Kurt hiccupped, "-dont hang up."

Shoving his fingers into his hair, Blaine did as he was told and he laid his phone on his pillow. Kurt was quiet after that, and eventually Blaine could hear his soft breathing. Staring at his phone, Blaine watched the hours go by for the phone call. Kurt was right there, but Blaine didnt know what to say. He was scared so he didnt say a word.

He didnt remember falling asleep, but he must have because when he woke up the call had ended, but he had a new text message from Kurt. He opened it and read, Thank you. After he clicked off the message and sat up, grabbing his babies to bathe them and get them ready for breakfast, it was like last night had never happened.

Like Kurt had never been there.