Kurt sat at his drafting board in the warm summer sun. It was the last day he would be here for a while and he was taking inventory of his life. First and foremost was Blaine. How could he quantify Blaine? He was Kurt's everything. His lover, his friend, his savior, his husband, his soulmate. Kurt could sit and think about every aspect of Blaine and not move for a month, so he forced himself to carry on – ready to come back to the subject of Blaine at any moment.

Second, he had his dad. Burt had recovered from his heart attack almost seven years ago and never looked back. In the years since: Kurt had disappeared, been found, fell in love and brought home the love of his life, married him, went to college for musical theatre and graduated with honors with a degree in architecture. Burt had been there for him every step of the way and Kurt knew that as much as he loved and relied on Blaine, his father was the real reason he was driven to achieve so much. Kurt couldn't let his dad down, no matter what anyone said.

He had Finn and Cooper and a host of wonderful people who loved and supported him. Yes, Kurt was an amazingly lucky man.

As the offers of a job came in, both men were surprised and delighted. After making lists of pros and cons for each offer, Blaine got an envelope with a return address he recognized. It was from Warner Logging and Timber. He read the letter, then offered it to Kurt to read. They looked at each other, mouths open.

"I can't believe he wants me that badly, Kurt. To offer me a salary like that? And to live there, too?" Blaine said, still a bit stunned.

"Do you think there's a catch?" Kurt asked, though he'd known Mr. Warner and liked him. Even Burt liked Mr. Warner.

"No. I wonder if its a bit of the guilt from the way my dad died, but it wasn't Mr. Warner's fault. He took Cooper and me in, cared for us, let us have the land and the cabin. I don't think this is anything shady. We can go see him about it, okay?" Blaine asked and Kurt agreed.

Mr. Warner arranged to meet them in Corvallis when he was there for a meeting and everything just fell into place. Blaine would start at the end of the summer.

"Kurt, are you sure you want to move back to the logging camp?" Blaine asked.

"Are you kidding? I have never, ever felt more at home than when I was in that cabin with you. Blaine, if this is what you want – I'm there. You know I love you, sweetheart, and anywhere you go I will follow. But going to that paradise? I'm there," Kurt said, holding Blaine's hands tightly. He closed his eyes and leaned forward. Blaine caught him and they shared a passionate kiss.

"What about your job, Kurt? Its not as if you're going to get a lot of clients coming to see you by helicopter you know," Blaine grinned.

"No. Don't you read your mail? Cooper told us nine months ago that they were paving the road up to the camp. I think I'd be fine. If I can do my work there and mail it to my partners, it would work. I can send the things electronically. I know Mr Warner has WiFi. We can work something out."

"I know something else I'd like to work out," Blaine whispered, kissing down Kurt's neck.

"Okay, race you to the bedroom!" Kurt replied and took off, taking the steps two at a time, Blaine in hot pursuit.

~*~

Three Months Later

"Meow" Figaro stated. The poor little cat was confused and there was no way for Kurt to explain it to him. She was moving with them in spite of the fact that Puck was going to keep the house for them. He had offered to take Figaro, but Blaine and Kurt loved him so much, and they would be settling in, a hard enough time to adjust.

"Hey, Kurt! Come down here if you would," Blaine called. Kurt went down the steps. "Puck is just pulling up in the drive and I thought you might like to greet our new tenant."

Kurt grinned. He'd been looking forward to this for the whole week.

Puck got out of his car and went around to open the door for his passenger.

"Miss Sophia!" Kurt said, excited to see her. He gathered the tiny woman in his arms and held her close, placing a kiss on her head.

"Ah, Kurt. It is so good to see you, my boy," she smiled, pulling on his shirt so his ear was down close to her mouth so she could whisper in his ear. "Blaine, he is the one for you, I knew it back when we made Scherenschnitte Valentines at my house. I'm so happy for the two of you. He is a real gentleman, still?"

"Yes, he is, Grandma Sophie. He truly is," Kurt smiled.

Blaine came down the porch steps to greet her and then Puck and Blaine took her suitcases into the house, Kurt helping her up the stairs.

"It was kind of you to let me move here," Sophie told Blaine while they sat in the dining room with Puck. Kurt was busy in the kitchen and all the smells of baking were wafting through the house.

"Nonsense," Blaine replied, "we needed a tenant and we were very happy to let Noah stay here. Having you is just the icing on the cake, Miss Sophie. You know we love you."

Sophie smiled like a schoolgirl. She loved the attention her grandson's friends lavished on her.

"You and Kurt will be gone soon? I wish we had some time together before you left," she lamented.

"Yes, we're both accepted jobs so we need to be moved in the next week. We're still in Oregon, so you'll see us from time to time, I promise," Blaine assured her.

"Blaine, if you would help me?" Kurt asked as he leaned in from the kitchen. Blaine got up and went to lend a hand.

He was back in just a few moments, the tea things on a tray. He set the cups and saucers around and placed the teapot in the center of the table. Kurt followed him with a larger tray of tiny sandwiches, a fresh salad, and condiments. He returned to the kitchen and came back out with a plate of something that smelled like it was made in heaven.

"Oh! You made Altweiner Apfelstrudel! For me, Kurt?" Miss Sophie asked, her smile glowing and her eyes twinkling.

"I used your recipe, of course," Kurt said. "I know it won't be the same, but I hope I did the recipe justice."

Miss Sophie took one and bit into it. "Oh, dear boy, this is perfect. I haven't made this since you came that day I got to meet Blaine for the first time. This is wonderful. Thank you," she said, taking another bite of the flaky crust and spicy apple filling of the pastry.

After lunch, Blaine got out a bottle of wine that had been decanting. He poured a small amount in each of the crystal wine glasses and led a toast to Miss Sophie and good friends. There wasn't a dry eye at the table.

~*~

Warner Lumber Camp

"Wow, when did they finish the road?" Kurt asked, looking over at Cooper.

"It's been about three months since they got it all the way to the main logging camp. There was always a road here, but it was more like a deer track when it fell out of use. The original loggers cleared this for wagons, but when the railroad was built for the timber, they abandoned the road. Mr. Warner talked them into putting the road back in operation and he footed most of the bill for it, too," Cooper told him. Coop had gone to Philomath to pick Blaine and Kurt up with their last load of things to move.

"I'm so happy....it truly is like coming home. I miss this place when I'm away from it," Kurt said.

"Well, we're glad to have the two of you back," Cooper told him.

"Coop, can you let us out at the top of the ridge? I want to walk the last bit with Kurt if you don't mind," Blaine asked his brother. Cooper winked at him and pulled over. Blaine got out and opened the door for Kurt. "We'll see you at dinner. Thanks, Coop," Blaine said.

Blaine hugged Kurt close to his body, kissing him passionately. Kurt returned the gesture, but pulled back when he saw tears in Blaine's eyes.

"Hey, now. What's all this about? I thought you loved the idea of moving back here and working for Mr. Warner. Have you changed your mind?" Kurt asked.

"No, nothing like that. I'm really grateful he gave me the job. I will never think of anywhere else as home. Well, home to me is anywhere you are, Kurt, but having you and being here? Its every dream I ever had come true," Blaine told him.

Blaine took Kurt's hand and walked with him along the newly paved road. Not much else had changed. They could see the cookhouse with the pen and shed for the goats, and in the distance they could see Mr. Warner's house down in the next valley. As they rounded a corner near a bunch of trees a huge wolf-dog came bounding across the path, running up to the couple. He didn't growl, just stood with the hairs on his back up and showing teeth for a moment, then backed down, wagging his tail.

"So, you do remember us, Balto. Where's Lenore?" Blaine asked, grinning and holding his palm out to the animal.

"Wow, they grow them big here, don't they?" Kurt laughed, then got a worried look on his face. "Do you think he'll hurt Figaro? Maybe I should have left him home with Puck and Grandma Sophie."

"I'd miss him if we left him behind, Kurt," Blaine said.

"We'll get them to understand. I bet Figaro will be fine. He's never been allowed to roam, so I suppose he can stay in the cabin," Kurt said, still a bit apprehensive. Blaine didn't seem bothered by it, so Kurt felt a little better. Balto ran back the way he'd come, sniffing at the base of a tree before lifting his leg to mark his territory.

Kurt and Blaine continued their walk and as they came to the last bend in the road, Kurt put out a hand and grabbed Blaine's arm to stop him.

"Oh, my stars in heaven! Look!" he shouted, staring at the place beyond their little cabin. There was a large log house standing there with a huge sign across the front porch. It read, "Welcome Home, Blaine and Kurt".

"What?" Blaine was just as shocked. They hadn't been back in about 18 months and Cooper had never said a word about this to Blaine or Kurt.

The young men walked towards the two-story log house, once more holding hands. Cooper joined them, having parked Kurt's Navigator at the side of the road.

"Well, what do you think?" he asked, looking from Kurt's to Blaine's face and back again. It was a good minute before either of them could gather a word to say.

"Did you do this?" Blaine asked.

"Well, it was my idea. I took a little of the trust money and the guys all chipped in to build it for you two as a wedding present. When Mr Warner told us he was going to ask you to work for him, we all wanted you to have a nice place to live. So, consider this your new home," Cooper said, so excited to see the wonder in his little brother's eyes. Blaine had grown up lonely and without most of his family, and the men of the logging camp had become his family. They were so happy to help bring him home, he was like a kid brother to all of them.

"Do you want a tour or do you want to see for yourself?" Cooper asked.

"Ah, a tour, please," Kurt said, smiling at Cooper.

"Right this way," Coop waved, walking up the steps to the front porch that stretched across the front of the house. We made the porch swing for you. I know how much you liked to just sit and think."

"Oh, look at the kitchen!" Kurt said, pulling Blaine inside to see the cupboards and counters. There was an antique blue enamel stove in the kitchen which shared space with the living room and dining room.

"How did you get electricity in here?" Blaine asked. His little cabin didn't have any of the modern amenities.

"We tapped it from the cookhouse. There's a propane tank out back, solar panels for a lot of the energy, and we piped water from the cookhouse, too. It wasn't difficult, I don't know why I never did it before," Cooper grinned.

"Because I did most of the work, not him," a voice sounded as a tall red-headed man stepped into the house. Both Kurt and Blaine rushed to hug their friend Auggie.

"I should have known," Kurt said, giving his friend an extra pat on the back. "This is amazing, thank you so much."

"I was just showing them around," Cooper said.

"Did you come back to be a mechanic?" Auggie asked Kurt.

"Well, no. I am an architect and I hope to find a way to do that here," Kurt replied.

They walked all through the house, up the stairs to the loft where the bedroom was on one side and either another bedroom or an office with large windows to let in a lot of light in the back of the house.

"This is amazing," Blaine said, but Kurt was looking a bit perplexed.

"Yes, but it seems kind of..familiar?" he said, looking at Cooper with a knowing stare. He tapped his foot and his hands went to his hips before Cooper decided he had to confess.

"Okay, when I was visiting you last year, a copy of one of the houses you'd designed might have found its way into my suitcase before I left. I wanted to surprise you two, but I also wanted it to be something you designed, Kurt. We worked from your blueprints. I hope you're not angry with me."

"Not at all. I never thought it would look like this. I didn't design it to be made of logs...this is amazing what you did with it," Kurt looked around once more, awe in his face. Blaine pulled him into a kiss.

"Cooper, Auggie, we both thank you for everything you've done for us. You are wonderful," Blaine said, knowing there were not enough words to convey his gratitude.

"Well, I'll help you guys get the rest of your boxes and things unloaded from the Navigator and trailer. I think you need to let that poor cat out, he's putting up an awful noise," Coop laughed.

"Do you think he'll be safe with Balto running loose?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah, Lenore has him trained. He doesn't kill the pets around here. He got a baby goat a few years ago and she just went ballistic. It took less than a week and Balto is calm as a kitten around other animals now," Cooper reassured him.

"I'll start unloading, you guys just tell me what room it all goes in," Auggie offered, walking outside with Blaine.

~*~

The reunion with their friends from the camp was loud, heartwarming, and exhausting. They lost track of how many drinks they had, how many times they were hugged and twirled around the cookhouse floor while a band made up of the lumberjacks played. As the only woman in the camp then, Shannon never got a rest between dances but soldiered on, dancing at least twice with Blaine and once with Kurt. The party showed little sign of slowing down until after midnight when Blaine finally put his foot down and dragged Kurt out a side door to walk home in the moonlight before they were missed by their friends.

"Kurt? Are you okay to go for a bit of a walk before we go home, or are you too tired?" Blaine asked.

"I'm up for a stroll, unless we have to get up and milk goats in the morning..." Kurt giggled.

"No, we don't have them back yet. I'm going to have to fix their shed first. It looks like an entire clan of raccoons have been living in there. The chicken house is worse. We will have some repairs to do before we can get things like that ready. Lucky for us you insisted on making the beds before we left for the party," Blaine joked.

"I knew it would last into the night. Plus, there's a shower with hot water! Won't it be funny to be able to take a hot shower instead of dipping a ewer full to wash ourselves before bed?" Kurt said, looking at Blaine's face. He hadn't seen his husband so relaxed since their honeymoon in Puerto Rico.

"Are you saying you didn't like living in the cabin with me?" Blaine asked, looking a bit wary.

"No, not at all. I came back here to live in that cabin with you, if you'll recall. I had no idea your brother and friends had built the house. I'd live with you in a canvas tent in the Sahara if that's what you wanted, my love. Anywhere you are – that's home to me," Kurt got serious. He leaned close and brushed his lips gently across Blaine's soft ones. Blaine closed his eyes and his arms slipped around Kurt's shoulders to hold him close.

"The same goes for me, Kurt. You are my home. I love you," Blaine said, pulling back and taking Kurt's hand.

"I love you, too, Blaine."

They strolled up the path, the full moon providing a bit of light for them to see by. They didn't go far, just to a clearing so they could see the sky clearly. Blaine helped Kurt down and he sat next to him, then gently pushed him so they were lying in the grass, looking up at the stars.

"There it is," Kurt said, pointing to Orion's Belt.

"It's so comforting to know that wherever we are, even if we aren't together, we can both look up and see it looking back down at us," Blaine said, glancing over at Kurt and taking his hand.

"When won't we be together?" Kurt asked immediately, sounding a little shook up.

"I might have to travel for this job, you know. I'll be out in the forest a lot of the time, plus going into the camps and into the city for various things. The first meeting I'm scheduled for is the Round Table for Oregon Sustainable Forests with Mr. Warner in two weeks. I'll be gone about three days. Remember we talked about that?" Blaine asked, sitting up and taking his husband into his arms. "You knew this, Kurt."

"Yes, I did. I didn't mean to sound crabby about it, but I'll miss you every moment you're gone. I know it won't be like when my dad went three blocks to the tire shop and came home for lunch, but that doesn't mean I won't miss you," Kurt said in a sad voice, putting his face into Blaine's neck for comfort. Blaine rubbed his back.

"It won't ever be for very long, Kurt. I promise. Plus, you need to go into town for that interview at the same time, so we can at least drive down together. Okay?" Blaine said, trying to cheer Kurt up. "We still have our room at the house in Philomath and you know Grandma Sophie will spoil us rotten whenever we show up there," Blaine offered, trying to get Kurt to smile.

"I know. I want it to be like it was the first months I spent here with you, Blaine. That was such an wonderful time. It was like the whole world disappeared...except you and me."

"I bet it will still feel like that sometimes. I have to go into the forest a lot to look at trees. I'm sure you can come with me. We can ride the mules and it will be like old times. Okay?" Blaine asked.

Kurt closed his eyes. He imagined back when it seemed the world began and ended with a boy that had silky black curls and golden skin. Kurt had never been so happy. He opened his eyes to see that boy was still here, maybe he'd grown a bit and seen a little more of the world, but he was still Kurt's dream of the perfect love of his life. He pulled Blaine closer and kissed him softly, caressing the tender skin just under the hem of his shirt. Blaine hummed in pleasure and kissed him back.

They laid down and looked at the stars for a while, just being together and remembering the good days. When the breeze got cooler, they got up and walked back to their new house, the scent of the newly sawn logs fresh and bright. They couldn't help but smile at each other. This was their home. They walked around the rooms, still trying to wrap their minds around the place. The guys had even planted grass in the front yard to make it more like home, with flowers in planters and the big porch.

"Hey, do you think all the road and house construction scared all the rabbits away?" Kurt asked.

"Why? Do you want rabbit pie for supper, Kurt?" Blaine asked, a smile on his face. He had to admit that was exactly what he'd been craving lately. He had planned to set out a few snares tomorrow.

Kurt blushed. "Ah...now that you mention it..." he giggled. "Maybe we can go fishing tomorrow? I could use a nice rainbow trout."

"I don't think we have a lot planned for a few days. I need to ride up to the Upper Fork to see what they've got planned for cutting. Its on a ridge and we want to preserve the ground to stop any erosion – we don't want a mudslide come spring. I think both Auggie and Cooper are coming with me. Want to ride, too?" Blaine asked and Kurt grinned.

"Of course. I'll pack the picnic basket," he said. He wasn't sure how far the Upper Fork was, and prayed it wasn't too far.

"Sounds like a good plan."

"I can just imagine the saddle sores from not riding in a year," Kurt contemplated.

"You'll be okay. If you get saddle sore, I know just where to kiss you to make it better," Blaine cooed at him, placing his hands on Kurt's hips and pulling him close.

"Blaine! There will be a camp full of men, and I'm not sharing you with them. We'll have to wait until I get you home again," Kurt mock-nagged.

"We're home now..." Blaine said, stating the obvious. He turned and started up the stairs to their bedroom. Kurt was right on his heels.

They took a hot shower, scrubbing each other's backs and doing a lot of kissing. In spite of the long day, neither was tired when they got into bed.

"We could play a few hands of cribbage," Blaine suggested, a twinkle in his eye as he teased Kurt.

"Oh, we're going to play that game, are we?" Kurt smirked. He just wanted to be held and loved by his husband.

"No...not if you can think of anything better?"

"Hmm....let me think," Kurt replied before diving under the covers to find that Blaine had removed his pajama bottoms. He wasted no time in enveloping Blaine's hard dick in his mouth and sucking hard. Blaine let out a yelp of surprise, then one of pleasure as Kurt made it his mission to bring Blaine to new heights of arousal.

Blaine moved the blankets back, he wanted to see exactly what Kurt was doing in the dim starlight fro the window. He was stiff with anticipation for a few strokes, then laid a hand on Kurt's shoulder.

"I have an idea, baby. Come up here on the bed and I'll turn around..." he orchestrated how they were going to do this. Kurt was soon lying on his side with his feet at the end of the bed, facing Blaine and Blaine was lying in the opposite way, head at the end. He put his fingers on Kurt's erection, noting how hard Kurt had gotten in just the few moments it took for them to position themselves. Blaine leaned forward, taking Kurt's cock into his mouth and swirled his tongue around to see if this was going to work. A sudden wet warmth enveloped his own erection and he knew this was the best thing he'd thought of all week. He began to suck gently, his hands caressing between Kurt's legs: his balls and then cupping Kurt's cheeks as he engulfed more into his mouth. Kurt was whimpering, humming as he licked up and down Blaine's own cock and the pressure began to build in earnest as Blaine's excitement grew.

Kurt was taller than Blaine, and thus his body had a bit of an advantage when it came to reaching. He licked past Blaine's balls and down to the skin behind them, he knew that any pressure here would be felt in Kurt's prostate so he pressed down and reinforced it with his fingers. The whine that came from Blaine's throat was so encouraging and it made Kurt try harder, going past the caressing to a much harder pressure as he licked closer to Kurt's warm opening, he listened to Kurt get louder and his voice register in a low, moaning sound. As always, his taste sent Blaine's blood to engorge his cock just that much more and he moaned himself when he felt the steady breathing get near panic level.

"Blaine...oh...that is so good, love...more, I need more," Kurt said, stopping his sucking to say it, but going right back to it, pressing his mouth further down on Blaine's cock. He licked his finger, getting it wet and slick with saliva and pressing into Blaine's opening, circling and pressing further, pulling back slowly before pushing into Blaine's body. Kurt was ready with the edible lubricant they had tried and liked from a sex shop they'd visited together in Corvallis. He smeared it down Blaine's crack, then moved away from his mouth -reluctantly for a moment, but knowing he could go back. He turned Blaine so he was on his tummy and a pillow under him, then gently opened his legs and added more of the raspberry lube. He held Blaine's cheeks open and put his tongue down to lick slowly, up and down the soft skin and then in circles. Blaine was howling in pleasure, begging for more. Kurt was happy to give him just what he was asking for.

"Is this right, Blaine? Do you want more?" Kurt asked in a husky voice and Blaine closed his eyes and thought to conjure the words he needed to tell Kurt. He wanted more – definitely more and he let Kurt know.

Blaine whimpered, trying to form those words, but all that came out was,"More....Kurt, please, please..."

Kurt complied. He hardened his tongue into a sharp point and pushed it into Blaine, eliciting a huge sexy moan as Blaine's muscles began to tremble. He was fine with this, it not only felt good but it seemed like something he shouldn't want, that he shouldn't be getting so worked up over this dirty act. But it didn't feel like that at all. It was more that this was so intimate, so private that they could only ever imagine it with each other.

Kurt was relentless, licking and sucking, pushing inside the rim and tonguing around it. Blaine was losing his grip on reality as his head spun and he felt his cock filling, getting ready for the best apart of the evening. He had to make Kurt stop or he'd come and he had plans for that.

"Stop, baby...you're too much, I don't think I can hang on. Here, lets ...." words failed him, but he was still able to move above his lover. He plunged his tongue into Kurt's mouth, then sucking at the tip of Kurt's and moaning as he tasted himself on Kurt.

"Hey, now... hey..let's slow down. Get your breath," Kurt said, and Blaine laid down next to him. They faced each other, then Blaine laid his head on Kurt's shoulder. When they were breathing softly once again, Kurt turned to Blaine and gave him a quick kiss.

"Let me get you ready, baby," he whispered and took the slick gel, warmed it in his hand and slid two fingers slowly into his lover. Blaine moaned at the feeling, his eyes closed and his fists clutching the sheets underneath him.

"Kurt....oh, do it again..." he whispered as Kurt pulled his hand back before sliding his fingers in again, feeling the tension gathering in Blaine's muscles. It was second nature to find the place that wrung so many moans from Blaine and Kurt brushed over it, drinking in the moans and stammered words as Blaine came undone at his hands. It was three then four fingers inserted before Blaine was begging for something else...for Kurt to make love to him.

"Okay, baby, just relax and feel me. Feel me enter you, feel us together..." Kurt whispered as he eased his cock inside, slipping deep as Blaine thrust his hips forward, impatient to have Kurt all the way inside.

"Yes...oh....yes, yes...." Blaine mumbled, gripping Kurt's shoulder so tight, pulling him closer. He moved his hands down to fondle Kurt's cheeks, to feel the power in the muscles as he pushed inside, then drew back to push again. Kurt was slow, relishing each movement and feeling the warm, plush-softness that was Blaine. He could never understand how it could feel so soft and yet so tight at the same time, and in a few more strokes he wasn't thinking at all – just feeling.

"Kurt, Kurt...please, baby...push harder...yes, yes..." Blaine babbled, not knowing what he was saying, just not wanting it to stop. He knew it would end soon, the heat was reaching his whole body now...and then he felt Kurt's hand around his cock. He stroked gently, the gel slick and tingling as Kurt slid his hand up and down.

"Oh....now, Kurt...I'm coming..." Blaine managed to get out before his orgasm caught up with him and he cried out Kurt's name, over and over as his hand hit the mattress to relieve the stress and he gripped Kurt's hand.

Kurt was watching Blaine's face, that beautiful face that was always in his dreams, his thoughts..in his heart. He loved Blaine with all of his heart and here he was – calling Kurt's name and it drew everything out of him. He closed his own eyes as his climax came and like Blaine he could only call his husband's name.

Opening his eyes, Kurt saw Blaine, looking back at him. This was the face of love and he never wanted to forget what it looked like.

They got up, careful to keep the bed clean, and washed each other in front of the fire. It was very much like the old times here, the feeling of being alone together, so protected from the rest of the world.

They climbed into bed, cuddling together, watching the fire for a little while in comfortable silence before falling asleep. It was good to be home.