“I was locked up, too. When I was your age.” Sofia said, very quietly, as though she were talking to herself. “I was a prisoner, too.”

“You were? What did you do?” Blaine asked.

“I made the mistake of being born Jewish.”

“They locked you up because you were Jewish?”

“Yes, me, my whole family, my neighbors. Everyone I ever loved or cared for. All of us.”

“Why?”

“I lived in a town in Poland when I was a girl. A very evil man came to power in Germany when I was 15, and he invaded Poland, my home. They came one night and took us. They locked us up.”

Blaine whimpered. He was more frightened than he'd been before and curled around himself. He knew she was talking about Hitler.

“What happened to you?” he whispered.

“They took us on a train to a place called Auschwitz, where they gave me this tattoo. I was 15 years old, my brother, Hans was 17. He looked like you, Blaine, with that wild curly hair and hazel eyes. You remind me of him. They killed him because he had two strikes against him. Not only was he a Jew, but he was homosexual. He never lived to enter the camp barracks, he went straight to the gas chamber.”

Tears were running down her face unchecked. It had been a long time since she had cried for her brother, and seeing Blaine is such pain made all of those memories come back.

Blaine pulled himself from the wall. He crept out from under the bed and came close to Sofia, got on his knees and put his arms around her stiff body.

“I'm sorry.”

“Oh it was a long time ago, and you just look like he did, most of the time so carefree, just happy to be alive. I think that's why I took Noah in, to see a young person with hope in front of them. To see them unscarred by the evil in the world. But, Blaine, that isn't you. What happened to you? Who are you hiding from?”

“My parents. I'm like your brother, Sofia.”

“I know, the same age, the same beautiful honey colored eyes - even the same curls,” she sighed and put out her hand to run her fingers through Blaine's curls.

“And one more way. I'm gay, too.”

She looked at him with a puzzled expression. “Gay? Happy?”

“No, gay meaning I'm a homosexual.”

Blaine couldn't keep from telling her, not after what she just told him. So, he spilled all of it. His parent's betrayal, the years of fear and abject despair, the daring rescue, the hiding. All of it. By the time he was done, Blaine was still kneeling on the floor, his arms around Sofie's waist and his head in her lap. She was brushing her fingers through his curls, in much the same way as she had done with her brother in the days before they were stolen away on the train to death.

“Noah? My Noah did that for you?” she asked, and a fleeting smile graced her lips for a moment before the sadness returned. Blaine nodded. “He went and got help and came back the next day. He has courage, and I owe him my life.”

Blaine had closed his eyes, but still talked to Sofie. He told her how scared he still was, about how he had these spells that came on with no warning that turned his blood to water and muscles to mush. Sometimes when the fear was at its worst, he had to run for the bathroom, his bowels turning to water, too. How he had to hide – under blankets, under the bed. Sofia just kept the relaxing movement of combing her fingers through his hair, knowing it was the only thing keeping him from running away or crawling back under the bed right now.

“Blaine, is there anything that makes you feel safer? Does wrapping in the blankets help?” she asked.

“No, not much. The only thing that helps is Kurt. He holds me, and I'm not afraid for a while,” Blaine said.

“Gramma?” Puck finally stumbled into the room, unable to stand in the hall any longer. He and Kurt had come home a while ago, finding Gramma Sofie in his bedroom and Blaine under the bed. Kurt put a restraining hand on his arm to stop him from interrupting because they had just heard Sofia say she was a prisoner. Kurt had seen the tattoo and understood what it meant and hoped she and Blaine might be able to connect on some level. He had no way of really helping Blaine and hoped this might be a solution.

But while they planned to reveal their presence in the hallway, both Puck and Kurt had gotten so wrapped up in the story they hadn't even moved.

Puck walked over to his great grandmother's side and leaned down, kissing her cheek. “I love you,” he said and she looked up at him and smiled, taking his hand and patting it.

Kurt quietly sat on Puck's bed, placing his hand on Blaine's back. Blaine looked at him, his eyes turning a darker shade of the amber hazel, showing more of the moss green. He got up and came to Kurt, who waited with arms open and Blaine fell into them, sitting on Kurt's lap and holding him tight.

“Why didn't you ever tell me about the Holocaust?” Puck asked Sofia.

“I didn't want to talk about such despair, Noah. It was too sad. But your friend, Kurt, knew.”

“What? Why did you tell him and not me?” Puck said, incredulous, glaring at Kurt.

“No, I didn't tell him. He saw my tattoo at breakfast on Friday, but he has good manners like his father and said nothing to embarrass me.” She smiled at Kurt. “Now, Noah, you and I will go downstairs and give Blaine and Kurt a few minutes to gather themselves together and we'll wait for them in the kitchen. I made Lebkuchen and it's cool enough to take out of the pan.”

'Lebkuchen?” Kurt asked.

“Gingerbread!” Gramma Sofie said, a smile once again on her face.

Back in Puck's bedroom, Kurt held Blaine close, saying little things into his curls as he rubbed his back. “Are you okay, Blaine? Want to tell me what happened?”

“I was playing a video game, but my character was locked in a room and couldn't get out. I kind of blanked out, then I was under the bed. It was the worst one I've had, Kurt. I couldn't turn off the playstation, or even the TV. The sounds were getting inside my brain or something, and I was hiding. The next thing I knew, Gramma Sofie was sitting in the chair, humming and told me she had been a prisoner.”

“That's when Puck and I came. We were in the hall, but I didn't want to stop you if she was giving you any comfort, Blaine. Are you feeling better?” Kurt asked.

“Yes. Her story was heartbreaking, losing her brother. I don't know if I could have done that and not been insane. I don't know how she holds on for ...seventy years, Kurt! Seventy years. But it still affects her. I don't know if I have any hope.”

“You do. That's what she was trying to tell you, Blaine. You always have hope,” Kurt said, kissing Blaine's temple and brushing his fingers over his cheek. “And you have me, Blaine. I love you.”

Blaine wasn't sure he heard right, he'd been in love with Kurt for over a month, basically since the first days, but Kurt had never said it. Blaine's heart started beating fast and he felt lightheaded. He put his arms back around Kurt and kissed him very softly on the lips. “I love you, too.”

Kurt and Blaine had come downstairs after a while, Blaine feeling better and ready to face the world again. They walked into the kitchen, the smell of gingerbread heavy in the air.

“Noah, get these boys some milk, please,” Gramma Sofie said, patting her great grandson on the arm. He got up and got them each a large glass and plates and napkins for the gingerbread.

“Oh, this is fabulous!” Kurt squealed. “Do I taste orange? Wow, and a little cardamom? I love it.”

“That is my own grandmother's recipe, brought from Poland. There is also hazelnut, cinnamon, cloves, aniseed, and coriander. Many spices. We make if different than traditional German gingerbread. I'm glad you like it, Kurt.”

Blaine was smiling, “I like it, too, Sofia.” She had asked him to call her Sofia, and he did feel a different connection to this woman now that they had shared their stories. He was sitting next to her and took her hand in his, brought it up to his lips and kissed it tenderly. “Thank you, Sofia, for all you did for me.”

“You are welcome, my dear, and I want you to come see me every Saturday. Can you do that?” she asked.

“Of course,” Blaine replied. They ate the gingerbread and spoke quietly together, more comfortable than they had ever been before, Puck with his arm around Sofia's shoulders, a smile on his face.

The boys returned home after having dinner with Puck and Sofia. Kurt went down to his room to get showered after mowing the lawns at the estate. Blaine was sitting in the bedroom, talking to his pigeon, Chloe. He had gotten her a larger cage and she was sitting on his wrist now as he lounged on the bed. He briefly wondered if she might not be happier if he gave her freedom, but whenever he let her outside to fly, she came right back to him. He didn't want to cage her – for obvious reasons – but she seemed to enjoy his company. Maybe he could get her a companion.

Kurt walked out of the bathroom, his hair wrapped in a towel and his fuzzy robe on, tied in front.

“How's our heroine today?” Kurt asked, running his finger down the soft pinkish gray feathers of Chloe's breast. He insisted that if anyone was the hero of Blaine's rescue, it was Chloe. While Chloe did play a big part, Blaine was more convinced it was Kurt and Puck.

“She's fine. I took her out back to fly and she circled the house several times, then down the street and I lost track of her. I was ready to come back in and here she came, back to sit on my wrist. What a good little girl, huh, Chloe?” Blaine babbled at his bird, making Kurt smile.

“And how are you holding up, baby?” he asked. Blaine perked up at the nick name. Kurt had called him that maybe five times in the past month and a half, and Blaine thought he didn't even notice he did it, but it made Blaine feel tingly all over. He could listen to Kurt say that all day.

“I'm okay now. This was the worst one yet, which makes me a little afraid of what can happen if I'm around a bunch of people. But I also can't live in fear forever,” Blaine said. He had gotten his pajamas on while Kurt was in the shower and got the last Harry Potter movie ready. They had decided to watch it this evening since everyone else was gone for the night – Burt and Carole in Washington, Finn to Rachel's house.

Kurt pulled on his pajama pants and climbed under the covers, holding them open for Blaine to join him. They cuddled together, lights off and turned on the movie. Blaine had read the whole series again and began watching the movies. This was the last one.

It had been a stressful day and both boys drew strength from their closeness. They were very still, just holding each other and watching the movie. It was long..two parts and when it was done, Blaine felt a kind of sadness that the story was over. Kurt got up and put in another movie, The Notebook. It was sad in places and so silly in others, and he wanted to share it with Blaine.

A few minutes into the movie, Blaine started to yawn, blinking his eyes and trying to clear his head. “You're tired, Blaine. Let's just go to sleep,” Kurt said and turned off the TV with the remote. He leaned over and flipped on the radio and off the lights so they could go to sleep.

Blaine was appreciative that Kurt noticed his fatigue, it had been a terrible day, with the flashback and then Sofia's sad story. Blaine closed his eyes and brought himself closer to Kurt's back, resting his cheek on Kurt's shoulder blade. They said goodnight, but Blaine wasn't able to fall asleep. He thought Kurt was sleeping, his breath steady and even as Blaine could feel his muscles relax. His ear was pressed to Kurt's back and he could hear the heartbeat, thinking to himself that this was Kurt's chest but Blaine's own heart was beating inside it.

He dozed on and off, but was afraid to fall asleep, afraid the nightmare would return. They were getting worse, and Blaine didn't know how to get rid of them. Kurt could chase them away, but Blaine didn't want him to have to wake up to do it – plus they went on for a long time, fear and panic enveloping Blaine before he would wake up.

Blaine was having trouble staying still now, shifting his weight back and forth. He was thinking about Kurt, about how Kurt had said today that he loved him. He hoped that meant what he wanted it to, not just some sort of brotherly love – though that was nice, too – but that Kurt loved him in the same way that he loved Kurt, that they could be together forever when this nightmare of hiding ended. He moved away from Kurt, worried about disturbing him with his fidgeting.

Kurt felt Blaine draw away and it woke him up. Ever since he had found Blaine, he'd become increasingly sensitive to his movements at night. Kurt often had to hold Blaine when he was afraid or just coming out of a nightmare. - he did it by instinct, almost without conscious thought. But tonight, he could feel that Blaine wasn't afraid, he was restless. Last time he was this restless he went back to his house and got the money – spending all night walking the countryside and worrying all of his friends.

“Blaine?” Kurt asked, startling Blaine into jumping. “Oh, sorry. Are you alright? It feels like something's wrong,” Kurt said in a quiet voice.

“I'm okay. Just can't sleep.”

Kurt thought for a moment.

“I can help you sleep,” he said, turning over to put his arm around Blaine.

“Oh? And how would that be?” Blaine asked, although he was pretty sure of the answer, and his body was beginning to respond to Kurt's low voice. Kurt drew Blaine closer to himself and claimed his mouth in a fierce kiss, bringing Blaine's jumbled thoughts to a complete and utter stop. He was suddenly lost to Kurt's lips and tongue, his face flushed with surprise and stirred passion. With a sharp thrill of pleasure, he felt Kurt removing his pajama top and sweeping kisses down the length of Blaine's chest. He stopped at the waistband of Blaine's pajamas, but allowed only an intake of breath before pulling them off. Blaine was spread out on the bed, almost on display, the covers pooled on the floor and nothing left on the bed but two pillows and the two boys.

Kurt was looking at Blaine's bare skin, the moonlight pouring in the window to highlight each curve and muscle in the silver light, every movement of one of those hard muscles under the soft skin. He was caressing Blaine's body with his eyes but it felt as if he were doing it with his hands.

Blaine was powerless to move, caught in a mesmerizing trance as Kurt's eyes traveled down his chest to stop at his tightening groin. The sound that came from Kurt's throat was wild and sensual, arousing Blaine all the more, stirring him out of the trance to pull at Kurt's clothes, to ask without words for Kurt to remove them.

Moments later, the two were naked in the bed, playing in the moonlight, starting with kisses and then lingering over touches. It was not overtly physical sex as a goal, more a sharing of their bodies, exploring and learning as they moved over each other – sighing, saying things in sweet whispers, tasting and giggling as they followed uncharted places with fingers and tongues. This was not heavy, sensual seduction – it was lighthearted playing and curiosity.

With the exploring came more intimate touch, pulling a keening high note from Blaine as Kurt licked a wide stripe over his left nipple, slowing down to run his tongue around the edge before taking it into his mouth and sucking lightly, his hand on Blaine's right one, rubbing as he returned to licking. Blaine writhed on the bed, trying to get his hips under Kurt as he lay half on top of Blaine.

Kurt drew back, getting up on his knees as he reached over to the bedside table and got the small bottle of lube he had placed there the day they went to Columbus. He hadn't known then when or if he might need it, but he was always prepared and this time he was very glad of his habit.

“Blaine, I want to know if you're ready to try something else? You know I'm happy with everything we do, but I was thinking...”

“I read the pamphlets.”

“What?”

“I read the pamphlets you left in my drawer. When you thought I was reading Harry Potter, I was holding the pamphlet inside the book to read. Kurt, it has been all I've thought about,” Blaine blushed -and the moonlight was so bright, Kurt could see it. He looked over Blaine's body stretched in front of him, so beautiful.

“Are you ready to take another step?” Kurt asked.

Blaine reached up and brought Kurt down close in an embrace. “Yes.” he whispered in Kurt's ear, kissing his ear, his cheek. “Yes.”

Kurt lay down next to Blaine, both boys on their sides, facing each other as they kissed again, arms entwined and bellies touching, slowly moving against each other. Kurt repositioned Blaine so he was on his back, legs slightly apart, on the bed. He had the foresight to bring a soft towel to place underneath them so they wouldn't have to change the linen. He began kissing Blaine again, but also stroking his body, trailing his fingers down his arms, up and over his pectorals and then where Blaine was a little ticklish on his sides. The kissing moved to Kurt moving his lips down Blaine's neck, nibbling and sucking as he ran his hand along the taut muscles in Blaine's thighs. Blaine was silently begging Kurt to touch him in a much more intimate place, to stroke, but not his thigh; to kiss and lick, but not his neck. He closed his eyes and tried to be patient, willing Kurt to hear his thoughts. And apparently Kurt did, because the random stroking and kissing got suddenly much less random.

There was a warm feeling starting at the base of his cock as Kurt's tongue circled it, his hand cupping Blaine's testicles and rubbing just behind them with his thumb. Blaine moaned, holding his eyes tightly shut as he tried to hold his hands still. The tender touching of his erection was becoming less gentle and more rhythmic, then it slowly stopped. Kurt moved his hands away, but Blaine didn't open his eyes, the picture he had painted of Kurt's face was too beautiful to erase with opening his eyes.

He heard Kurt rustling around a bit, then the touching resumed, but this time Kurt's mouth was on his erection, slowly moving his tongue in circles around the head. The hand was back on his testes, resuming the gentle massage of the little piece of skin behind them. Just as he was wishing Kurt would put more pressure, more friction into his attention to his cock, he felt Kurt's other hand move past his balls to put one finger against his pink entrance. Blaine jumped -but he also made that squealing sound that Kurt loved so much. Maybe it would be okay to try again...

Kurt slowly placed his finger on the outside of the entrance, rubbing the lubrication in a slick path around in a circle, gently so as not to startle Blaine again. Blaine's blood pressure was high enough to launch a rocket. It felt like nothing he'd ever even dreamed about. His hips were arching closer to Kurt, asking for more, the sounds coming from Blaine's mouth were begging for more, and the ball of fire in Kurt's belly was demanding more. He drew back a little and began to suck on the head of Blaine's cock, running his tongue around the ridge and over the top, down the slit just a little. His gentle motion of Blaine's balls was still stimulating him, the thumb grazing over the skin behind. And Kurt's fingers were now entering the warmth of Blaine, as Kurt struggled to concentrate on what he was doing while his own body was waking to the demands of his mind, wanting some friction of its own. He had succeeded in getting his finger all the way inside, but was at a loss for a moment as to what came next. The pamphlets were not very graphic on the sensual aspects of this, only on the basic physical act. So, Kurt let his mind clear and thought about how it would feel, then go by instinct and the sound of Blaine's moaning.

Increasing his motion with his mouth, he hummed a little in the back of his throat and was rewarded with an additional sound – as if Blaine were almost totally incoherent. Kurt stroked, trying gently to find the place the pamphlets said was a guarantee of strong feelings leading to climax. But he didn't want to hurt Blaine, and they weren't going to have anal penetration before they had a long talk about it, so he didn't try any scissoring motions or more than two fingers. He reached in a tiny bit more, then tilted his fingertips towards Blaine's stomach and there it was. Blaine arched off the bed, giving a throaty growl, and Kurt increased all that he was doing – and Blaine began to cum – stripes of warm white liquid streaming out with Blaine's shouts, Kurt continuing what he was doing, but softer, slower as Blaine's breathing slowed and his heart went back to its regular rhythm. Kurt reached to the side of the bed and shielded by the dark, he spit the liquid into the towel. He then wiped his lap off where his own semen had sprayed after seeing Blaine's face at the moment of orgasm -and knowing that he had given Blaine that gift tonight.

Kurt felt around on the bedside stand and found the warm washcloth he'd set there and cleaned himself and Blaine off. He removed the towel from under them and snuggled down under the covers, first kissing Blaine with a deep soul kiss to tell him how much he loved him, then nestling his nose into Blaine's neck where he smelled like Christmas cookies and felt warm as the spring sun.

“Kurt?”

“Yes, Blaine...?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too, Blaine.”

“Do you think we'll be together forever?” Blaine asked in a soft voice.

“Forever is a long time, Blaine. Yes, I hope with all my heart that we'll be together for all of it.”

“Kiss me?”

“Of course...”