There was a breeze this morning, but it wasn't too chilly which brought smiles to the faces of Kurt and Blaine. Blaine had gone to the hardware store the afternoon before while Kurt was reading and purchased all the supplies they needed. The rest of the afternoon was spent with slim pieces of balsa wood, paper, string and glue. Blaine and Kurt had been very excited when it was all done but it was too late to go and try it out.

This morning, Kurt had packed a nice picnic lunch with fresh fruit in the form of pears and grapes, some Brie cheese, various crackers, sandwiches made of thin slices of pumpernickel bread spread with butter and flakes of poached salmon, and a bottle of sparkling apple juice. Blaine had packed the car with a blanket, pillows, swimming gear, sunscreen, and the newly minted toy they made.

The drive to the beach was filled with songs and giggling, both boys happy to be alive and together. A day that they were sure would be remembered for years to come. Unfortunately it was, but not for the reasons they thought.

Once on the beach, Blaine took the new toy out of the back seat and attached the string. It was a box kite. The bright blue and red paper was bright in the sunlight and Kurt grinned. He hadn't flown a kite since he was a little kid, before his mother died.

“Oh, I love the colors! Blue and red are just right, don't you think?” Blaine asked.

“Yes! You will be able to see it a far distance away. Don't box kites have tails?” Kurt asked.

“Nope, the aerodynamics don't require it,” Blaine said. He had wondered the same thing himself and looked it up.

Kurt had flown a traditional kite that his mother made for him...he remembered that day as the pink kite with a cut-out of a butterfly in deep purple lifted off the ground as if by magic and soared into the air. He had been allowed to cut the pieces for the tail – each one a shade of blue and looking like paper bow ties as he glued them on the streamer for the tail. It was one of the happiest days of his early life and he had shared it with Blaine a few weeks ago.

Leave it to Blaine to store this information in his heart and come home from the hardware store unexpectedly carrying the bags of supplies and a grin as he told Kurt what his plan was. He never mentioned Kurt's mother, but Kurt knew that was why he bought the things and why he was so excited to make the kite. How could anyone be this thoughtful?

They walked to the beach, the kite bobbing in Kurt's hands as though it couldn't wait to get up into the air. Blaine had tied the string to the kite very tightly and asked Kurt if he wanted to hold the kite or run to get it up in the air. He thought for a moment, than answered:

“I think I'll hold it. I like the feeling of letting it go when it struggles, letting it free to soar. Oh, Blaine, you have the best ideas. This is going to be great!” Kurt said, backing away from Blaine so he could hold the kite correctly.

Blaine let a few dozen feet of string loose from the spindle and walked down the beach, singing, Kurt's beautiful voice joining in:

Oh, oh, oh!
Let's go fly a kite
Up to the highest height!
Let's go fly a kite and send it soaring
Up through the atmosphere
Up where the air is clear
Oh, let's go fly a kite!

When you send it flyin' up there
All at once you're lighter than air
You can dance on the breeze
Over houses and trees
With your fist holding tight
To the string of your kite

He was wearing shoes so he wouldn't cut his foot while running, but it was going to be a little hard to run on the sand. Lucky for him, the sand wasn't too fine here, so he thought it would be okay. He nodded at Kurt when the string was taut and got ready to run. Kurt lifted the kite into the air and the breeze caught it – sending it up into the atmosphere as Blaine took some running steps before he realized the kite was already up – so he fed out the string very slowly. Then Kurt was beside him, his eyes were sparkling and a huge grin spread across his face in happiness.

Blaine put his arm over Kurt, so he was standing inside Blaine's embrace and they could hold the spindle together as the kite got higher and higher. It was close to three quarters of the string let out when Kurt's smile got bigger with an idea.

“Just wait here with the kite, I'll be right back,” Kurt called over his shoulder as he sprinted to the car. He grabbed a pen and a notepad he kept in his bag.

“I remember my mother showing me how to send the kite a message! This is cool if I can get it to work,” Kurt said, busy with writing on a piece of paper. He finished and tore a straight line from the edge to the center of the paper, slipping it over the kite string and folding it so it wouldn't get loose. He pushed the note part way up the string and let it go.

It was slow, but gradually made its way up the string until it was close to the box kite. Kurt smiled at the memory and Blaine glowed with the thought he had helped to make the boy he loved so happy.

They ran down the beach when the wind died down a little, trying so hard to keep the kite in the air. One crash and the pieces of balsa and paper would not be repairable. When Kurt's arms got tired, he began reeling the kite in, doing tricky maneuvers to keep it from taking a dive. It finally came close to the ground and Blaine was there to catch it. He held the kite in his arms, hoping they could try again after lunch when he saw the message that Kurt had made for the the kite. It said,

“Hello, Mom.

This is my boyfriend, Blaine.

I know you will love him as much as I do.

I miss you. I love you!

Kurt.”

This had been such a wonderful, happy day but the message brought tears to Blaine's eyes for a moment. He took the paper and folded it carefully, sliding it into his pocket before turning to find Kurt. He smiled through the tears and walked to Kurt, who was waiting with the spindle, winding it up as fast as he could. By the time he was done, Blaine had wiped away all signs of his tears and his smile was back in place.

“What do you say to some lunch?” Kurt asked, as they strolled back to the car. Getting the kite put away and the picnic basket out, they walked to a nice place in the shade of some low growing trees and spread the blanket. Kurt laid out the lunch and they ate, Kurt almost in Blaine's lap as he peeled grapes and fed them to his boyfriend, one at a time. Blaine giggled, licking the juice from Kurt's fingers, then taking his finger into his mouth and sucked on it, running his tongue around gently. Kurt's sharp intake of breath sent tendrils of desire down Blaine's back and into his belly. He hummed in invitation and Kurt's lips were there, ready and willing to be kissed. Lying back on the blanket, they tangled their legs together, just touching as Kurt pulled Blaine tighter to him.

“You can't do that, Blaine. Not here. Save it for later when we're back at the house -alone. It isn't fair for you to start something you can't finish,” Kurt said in mock seriousness as he was grinding his crotch against Blaine. Blaine laughed. The beach was deserted, but you never knew, it was a public beach and this was a popular tourist town. Blaine smiled as he kissed Kurt's cheek and then dipped his head to bite his neck.

Kurt went along for a while, enjoying all the attention, but finally sat up.

“How was lunch?” he asked, clearing up the used dishes and setting them back in the basket to be taken to the car.

“It was wonderful, of course. Thank you, Kurt for making a lovely day even better. I not only had a good time, but good food and good company make the best sort of day,” Blaine said, placing a kiss on Kurt's neck as he straightened up to take the hamper back to the car. “Do you want to take the kite up again?” Blaine asked.

“Yes, there doesn't seem to be as much breeze, but I think we can get it up,” Kurt said, then realized how that sounded and blushed.

Blaine walked over and took Kurt in his arms, kissing his ear and whispering,”Well, I do hope we can get it up! That was my plan for later...” causing Kurt to giggle and finally to just laugh, stroking his fingers feather-light across the front of Blaine's jeans.

They brought out the kite and this time Blaine held it while Kurt let out some string from the spindle. The breeze was still there, but much less forceful, so Kurt was going to run to get it up in the air. Blaine ran with him, holding the kite above his head, and Kurt pulled the string taut and ran down the beach. The kite took the air and went straight up, twirling as it went. Blaine took out his phone and took several photographs of the kite, then of Kurt running with it, trying to keep it aloft. The kite was uncooperative and kept dipping, threatening to crash, but Kurt managed to get it to go higher. Blaine clapped his hands after one particularly heroic move and the boys grinned at each other.

Kurt could feel through the string that the kite was just losing power, and he didn't want it to crash, so he took off running and while he was watching the kite, he tripped over some large rocks and went over the top, falling down into a deep crevice that led to the ocean. Blaine had been glancing at where Kurt was headed, but it was well hidden in a place that looked like all the surrounding rock formations. To see Kurt disappear was awful – so, with his heart pounding in his chest, Blaine ran for the overhang of boulders to see how Kurt fared.

Reaching the edge, it did not look pretty. It was a deep crevice, hidden from where they had been running, and the bowl was only open on the ocean side. Blaine would have to pick his way down to the floor of the ravine where Kurt was lying. Blaine could see blood and it looked like Kurt was unconscious.

Blaine grabbed his cell phone and dialed the emergency number. The Coast Guard was never too far off of this area of shore and they were sending a rescue boat. Blaine dialed Burt, couldn't get him and called Finn instead. He rattled off what he knew and then hung up, needing both hands for climbing down the rocks. It was treacherous, but he was able to get to the bottom. He had been calling Kurt's name, but there was no response and Blaine was in full panic by the time he got near. He stopped, knowing he had to calm down before he went to see about Kurt. He took a deep breath and walked carefully to Kurt's side.

There was a deep gash on his face, from temple to the dimple beside his mouth. It was bleeding, but not spurting, so Blaine left it and looked further. He was wary of moving Kurt before help could come to assess whether he had broken something in his neck or back, so he sat close and called his name. Kurt finally opened his eyes, but didn't seem all that conscious, so Blaine just went on feeling very gently to see if anything needed emergency attention.

His arms seemed okay, and other than the gash, his face and head were okay. He did have a knot on the back of his head, which he must have gotten when he fell, but it was not bleeding. Kurt was whining, but still not conscious, moving his head back and forth.

“Baby, I'm here, I'm here with you. Oh, I know it hurts, my love...help is coming, I promise. I will be here with you, I won't leave, my baby,” Blaine kept up, hoping his voice might keep Kurt calm until help did get there.

It wasn't until he moved to get closer on the other side that Blaine saw his leg. He stood there, stunned before the sight arranged itself into something that made sense in his head and he ran to the edge of a rock and threw up into the ocean. The heel of his foot was wedged between two rocks and the leg was twisted in a funny position, one that God had not intended for legs to be in. Blaine prayed that Kurt wouldn't wake up until help arrived.

He heard the boat coming and stood up, waving them into the cove. Three men and a woman jumped off the boat and surrounded Kurt, bringing a backboard and medical packs along with them. Kurt was partially in the water, but not soaked or cold. The EMTs were fast and one of them stationed herself with Blaine, holding him back and trying to calm him. She tried to get him to walk away with her while they moved Kurt to the backboard, but Blaine would not move. He saw Kurt's leg, twisted in that unnatural position and had to be sick again.

They got Kurt on the boat and Blaine, too, and took them to a dock where the two were transported to a waiting ambulance and then to the hospital. Blaine was in a daze, the EMT told him he was in shock and he was treated, but he stayed with Kurt, holding his hand the whole trip. Nobody tried to stop him, so he just held on.

At the hospital he was not letting go of Kurt, so they sent a clerk in to get what information he could give them about Kurt. By the time he had tried to answer the questions and the doctor was examining Kurt – sending him to the X-ray room – Burt, Carole, and Finn were there. Burt pulled Blaine into his arms and held him, trying to calm the boy down until there was a commotion outside. They could hear a nurse telling someone only two visitors per patient and then Cooper burst in. Blaine ran to him, pasting himself to his brother.

“Hey, Squirt, you're going to be okay. What's this?” he asked, seeing the IV sticking in Blaine's arm.

Burt sat the two down on chairs and told Cooper what he knew so far, Carole explaining any medical terms that needed clarifying in a quiet voice. Blaine was in shock and should be back on his gurney under the heated blanket. Cooper persuaded Blaine to do so, but only by promising he could sit with Kurt when he got back. Blaine was dizzy and finally lay down, Cooper stroking his head and carding his fingers through Blaine's curls like he had when he was a little boy. He calmed under Cooper's hand and Coop smiled.

It took a while, but Kurt was brought back, his head bandaged and his leg in a splint. He was awake, but very groggy.

“We have given him a cocktail of opium-based narcotics for now, the break is a bad one and the surgeon is on his way, Mr. and Mrs. Hummel. We want to put him in a private room until we get him stabilized,” the ER doctor told Burt and Carole. Carole took Burt's hand and squeezed so he knew she was there to support him.

“Can he be in with his friend?” Burt asked.

The doctor conferred with someone on the phone and agreed that it would be fine for now. Both boys were moved to a quiet room to await the surgeon.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Several hours later, it had been determined that Blaine was okay, but could stay the night to be sure he was out of shock. Kurt had sustained a concussion and a badly broken leg – a spiral fracture of his tibia, dislocation of his knee and a fracture of the femur. It seems his foot got caught between some rocks and when Kurt continued to fall, it wedged the foot in farther and twisted the knee out of its socket and broke both bones. The only thing the doctor wondered was how he had avoided breaking the fibula, too.

They had to wait for the swelling to subside, so Kurt would be in hospital for a week or more before they could do the repair surgery to fix the torn ligaments and tendons, they could put him under an anesthetic tonight and set the bones. It may be quite a while before Kurt would be able to walk again.

Blaine was not leaving Kurt's side. He felt responsible, the kite was his idea and then he allowed Kurt to be the one to run with it. Hour by hour, Blaine would sit next to Kurt, reading to him, singing with him, playing cards and drawing, painting, writing, anything to keep Kurt occupied. Burt and Carole usually came together, Carole quietly holding her husband's hand as he sat with Kurt and talked to him. Finn came frequently to sit with his brother, giving Blaine a break. Cooper was there as much as possible, since he would soon have to go back to the camp to work. Mr. Warner was nice about letting Coop have rides to and from Newport on one of the helicopters. Lenore came frequently, and was always nice to Blaine when she came in.

Blaine stayed so close, Kurt sometime had to tell him to leave. He loved Blaine, but some days it was as if Blaine was residing in the pocket of his coat.

“Go out and do something, Blaine!” Kurt said, clearly at the end of his rope one afternoon. Blaine had been waiting on him hand and foot all day for weeks and Kurt was grouchy, Blaine was the easiest target to hurl his frustration and guilt at, and Kurt wasn't exactly in his right mind.

“What? I only want to help you, Kurt. Can I rub your back or get you something to eat?” Blaine asked, but Kurt cut him off.

“Yes, you can get out. I don't want company, I don't want anyone waiting on me like some slave, I don't want to talk or look at another human for the rest of the day. Get out. And don't come back until tomorrow!” Kurt said, and when Blaine hesitated he threw a book at him, accidentally hitting him in the face. Blaine took the hint and left. Out in the hallway, he put his hand to his face and brought it back to look – it was covered with blood. The book had hit so hard there was a gash across his forehead and his eye was swelling. He walked calmly down to the nurse's station to ask for a cloth to clean himself up when Burt walked around the corner. He stopped and stared at Blaine, then grabbed his clean handkerchief out of his pocket and covered the gash, steering Blaine to the nurse. Half an hour later, Blaine was sitting in the car, stitches in his forehead and an ice pack on his eye, which was swollen shut.

Finn made sure he was settled and started for the house where Blaine had been ordered to stay in bed for two days.

“Did Kurt do that?” Finn asked. Blaine didn't answer, he just gave a small moan as if in pain.

“C'mon, dude, I know he did. I know about his temper, I've been on the receiving end of it enough times. Although I've never ended up with stitches before. What happened?” Finn looked at Blaine for a moment before pulling out of the parking lot.

“I guess I was irritating him. He told me to go and when I didn't, he threw a book at me. Really, really hard. I don't think he meant to hurt me, that part was an accident. Don't tell him, he'd feel bad if he knew,” Blaine said.

“He's gonna notice that you have a shiner, and the stitches. Or do you think you can stay away from him long enough for all that to heal? No way. He's going to know, Blaine.”

“I guess. Well, I have two days to think up something. I think right now I just need to go to sleep,” Blaine said, leaning his head against the window.

They drove home in silence. The week of Spring Break was over and the boys should be back in school, but Kurt's doctors didn't think it was wise for him to fly home until he'd had the leg surgery, so they did the homework on line and Mr. Warner was kind enough to let them stay at the house in Newport as long as necessary. Although everyone was worried about Kurt, the only one that was happy they were still there was Lenore. She had a crush on Finn and followed him around like a puppy. He appeared to be oblivious of it. Blaine had noticed and made the decision to bring it all up before they got home.

“Finn, do you mind if I stick my nose in where it doesn't belong?” Blaine asked, not quite sure how to approach this.

“No, what's up?”

“It's about Lenore. I have known her since we were babies and I'm pretty sure she has a crush on you,” Blaine said bluntly.

“She does?” Finn blushed a little. “I didn't notice that...”

“She follows you around everywhere, bats her eyelashes at you, listens to every word you utter like it was gospel? How have you not noticed that?” Blaine asked.

“Well, maybe I noticed it a little. I was going home, so it didn't seem to matter too much,” Finn defended himself.

“Well, we're here for another few weeks until Kurt's leg is set enough so he will start to heal, and I'm pretty sure she intends to keep doing it. Lenore is nothing if not persistent,” Blaine added.

“I'll be careful. Besides, we'll be leaving soon enough. Surely she won't want a long distance thing with me?” Finn asked innocently.

“Finn, did you forget we're moving here in August? Lenore knows that, so she might decide to stay with her grandparents for a while. I'm just telling you so you can be prepared. She's a nice girl, but I know you're with Rachel,” Blaine said.

“About that....I haven't said anything, but Rachel and I have talked it over. She is going to New York, I'm coming here to Oregon for four years. We're young and unlike you and my brother, neither of us think of ourselves as soulmates. Yes, I love her, but we don't want to live the next four years of our lives skyping and facebooking our way through a relationship. It isn't fair on either of us, so we will break up after graduation. We are both sad about it, but we also agreed it is the only way to do it.” Finn explained, looking a bit sad.

“Hey, man, I'm so sorry. Can Kurt or I do anything to help?” Blaine asked, genuinely worried. The thought of that happening to him and Kurt was sending dread snaking through his belly and he was getting a little sick to his stomach.

“No worries. We have talked it all out and I think it will be okay. I think we will get back together one day,” Finn said, turning into the driveway. “You need some help getting in the house, dude?”

“Nah, I think I'll be okay,” Blaine said, but when he got out of the car, he pitched forward and Finn barely grabbed him before he hit the cement.

“Sheesh! I didn't realize I was so dizzy!” Blaine exclaimed. Finn helped him into the house and got him comfortable on the sofa. He fixed Blaine some lunch and sat and watched a movie with him until he was asleep. Going into the bedroom, Finn came back out with a blanket and tucked his brother's boyfriend in. He stopped to really look at him. The stitches looked red and angry, the eye was swollen completely shut, but he had a beautiful expression on his face and Finn could see what Kurt saw in this boy. The thought went through his head, like it had several times before, that Kurt was one lucky guy to have Blaine in his life.

~*~*~*~*~

Blaine's cell phone rang.

“Blaine?”

“Oh, hello, Kurt. Are you feeling better today? How are the stitches?” Kurt had been complaining about the stitches from the surgery itching.

“Not too bad today. It has been two weeks, so the doctor says if it looks good tomorrow, I can go home. Well, not home to Ohio, but home to the Warner's house. Are you going to be here soon? Dad was just here, but he went to lunch with Carole and Finn.”

“Ah, probably not today, Kurt. I have some things to take care of, and you yourself told me to stay away for a while,” Blaine tried to keep the hurt from his voice. He knew in his heart that Kurt hadn't meant to hurt his feelings, but they were sensitive all the same. Plus, he wasn't ready to let Kurt see what his face looked like right now.

“Not today? Oh. I see. I'm sorry, Blaine, I didn't mean it. Can you forgive me? I was really out of line, I know. Maybe it was the medication?” Kurt grasped at straws, not wanting to admit it was his fault his boyfriend was staying away.

“Don't worry about it, Kurt. All is forgiven, but I need to do a few things today. I'll be there tomorrow, I promise. Now, eat some lunch and I'll call you this evening,” Blaine ended the call. He felt bad, but he was also a little angry and a day apart might do them both some good.

He went back in to the bedroom and laid down to rest for a while, and Lenore found him sound asleep. She took a quilt and covered him, gave him a quick peck on the cheek and went back down to the kitchen to fix herself some soup.

Several hours later, Kurt was really frustrated. He wanted company, but didn't want to call Blaine back. Blaine seemed angry, and had every right to be, so Kurt just picked up a magazine and tried to read. That lasted a few minutes and he was as frustrated as he had been before. The nurse came in and offered to help him wash up, so that wasted another half hour. The minutes were ticking by so slowly and it was giving Kurt all kinds of time to regret his bad temper of yesterday. He finally thought he couldn't stand it another minute and called Blaine.

“Blaine?” he started out cheerful, but Blaine could hear the tremor in his voice.

“What's wrong, baby?” Blaine asked.

“N..n..n..othing. I just wanted to talk I guess,” Kurt said,

“I can hear it in your voice, something is wrong. What? Did the doctor say something? Is there a problem?” Blaine asked.

“No...I just..just wanted to talk. What are you doing today? Did you find our kite? I wish we hadn't lost it, I liked that kite,” Kurt said.

“Oh, I forgot to tell you. Finn and I went back and found it when we went to get the car. It's not damaged, so I brought it home. We can fly it another day, okay? Is that what was wrong?” Blaine said, but he knew that wasn't it.

“Oh, I'm glad you found it. I really had fun flying it. Well, until I fell...” Kurt gave a sort of amused snort.

“So, the doctor thinks you can fly home to Ohio next week? Is that what he told Burt?” Blaine asked.

“Yeah. The bones are set, so it isn't dangerous anymore. They had been worried about a blood clot, but I guess that danger has passed.”

“A blood clot, in a broken leg?” Blaine wondered.

“Yeah, like in that book we read for Literature class: “A Separate Peace”? The hero of the story breaks his leg when his best friend pushes him out of the tree, then he dies of a blood clot in the leg. Remember?” Kurt asked.

“Oh, yeah. I remember. That was a sad book, I wonder why they made us read it. Like Catcher in the Rye or Red Sky at Morning, one of those heart wrenching coming of age novels,” Blaine answered.

There was silence. Not a good silence the way they sometimes enjoyed, but a pregnant pause while the two tried to find something to say to fill the gap in conversation.

“I guess I better go, you probably need sleep,” Blaine started to say, but heard a sob in the background. Was Kurt crying?

“Hey, Kurt, what's wrong? Is your leg hurting?” Blaine asked.

“Ah, yeah...it aches. Maybe I'll ask the nurse for a pain pill. Okay, I'll talk to you later, Blaine.”

and the phone went dead. Blaine felt terrible. He should have been more sensitive when he saw Kurt at the hospital yesterday. It had to be hard to lie in that bed all day every day, hurting and unable to do much but read or watch television. He overreacted, and poor Kurt had thrown the book in utter frustration with Blaine's inability to be sympathetic.

Kurt, lying in his bed in the hospital was thinking the exact opposite: that he was bad tempered little brat and should never have taken his lousy temper out on someone as kind and attentive as Blaine. He closed his eyes to let the pain medication do its job, dozing into a fitful sleep.

Blaine called a cab and left a note on his bed to say that he was visiting Kurt. He got out of the cab, hurried down the corridors to Kurt's room and stepped in, observing his boyfriend asleep in his bed, curled around a pillow but with his leg in it's cast sticking out at an odd angle. It made Blaine think of the way Kurt looked when he saw him at the bottom of the rocks, the leg at an unnatural angle and blood everywhere. He was a little nauseated.

Walking over to the bed, he saw tear tracks on Kurt's pink flushed cheeks and was instantly sad. He kissed the cheek, running his thumb down Kurt's jawline and then over his cheekbone. Kurt smiled in his sleep and looked so beautiful, Blaine almost cried. This boy, this beautiful boy was his. How could he be so lucky?

“Blaine....” Kurt said softly in his sleep, grasping at Blaine's hand. Blaine put his hand against Kurt's palm and smiled when Kurt wrapped his hand around it. “Oh, Blaine.....”

“My angel. I'm here, Kurt, if you need me. I'm here for you,” Blaine whispered and Kurt's grip tightened. Blaine pulled in the chair a little closer and sat down, stroking Kurt's hair and calming him with little things said in a soft voice into his neck as Blaine lay his head on Kurt's shoulder. He closed his eyes.

“Blaine....” Kurt murmured, then blinked his eyes for a moment, realizing he wasn't dreaming, that Blaine was here with him. He opened his eyes to take in his boyfriend's gorgeous hazel eyes....and only saw one eye. The other was swollen shut, a deep purple and black bruise covering that part of his face, stitches in a spray across his forehead.

“Blaine!!” he shouted and Blaine sat up in a panic, his heart racing before he realized why Kurt was shouting. He lay his hand so it was cupping Kurt's cheek to calm him.

“It's okay, I'm okay, Kurt. Hush, now, and I'll explain. I'm fine, really.”

Kurt quieted down so he could hear Blaine, but his grip on Blaine's hand didn't waver.

“Ah, I got hit in the head, it just hit in such a way that it blackened my eye. They had to take a few stitches because the skin on your forehead just bleeds a lot, even with shallow cuts. They had a plastic surgeon on hand, so she did a lot more stitches than usual so it will heal without a noticeable scar. Okay? I'm fine.”

While he was explaining, Kurt's eyes got wider and wider until he was visibly trembling.

“Oh, no.....Blaine? I did that, didn't I?” he wailed, thrashing in the bed he was so distraught. “I hit you with the book? Oh, my gods, Blaine...Oh, I'm so sorry. How could it have done so much damage?” Kurt looked like he was going to vomit. He was blinking back tears and trying to grab Blaine's arms.

Blaine moved a little closer to comfort Kurt.

“No, it was just a fluke. I know you didn't mean it, I do. It was an accident, honey. I'm fine, I promise...” Blaine babbled on, trying to get Kurt to stop his self punishment.

“Can you let me hold you, baby? I promise I'm okay,” Blaine said as he rearranged how things were in the bed. “It's okay, baby, it is. We'll be going home soon to finish school and then maybe we can spend the rest of the summer at the cabin. Okay?” Blaine promised. He just wanted Kurt to calm down so he could hold him. He leaned over and kissed him, moving his warm lips smoothly over Kurt's lips until he stopped sobbing.

“I'm sorry, Blaine, so sorry. It was my bad temper. I will learn to contain it, I'm so sorry,” Kurt went on, but Blaine just kissed him on the lips, nuzzling into Kurt's neck, cooing at him when he got too rambunctious, and mostly just holding him close. They had not slept in the same bed for three weeks now, and Blaine had had enough of that. He missed cuddling and snuggling with Kurt.

“Hush now, baby, scoot over, I'm climbing in there with you,” Blaine said and toed off his shoes. Kurt moved over and the next thing he knew, Blaine was lying next to him in the bed, holding him close. Kurt closed his eyes, so relieved to have Blaine there – where he belonged. Kurt sighed with contentment as Blaine just melted into his side, arms wrapped around him, face nuzzled into Kurt's neck.

The nurse tiptoed around the sleeping boys, relief plain on her face as she gently took Kurt's blood pressure. It was the first time since he had been admitted that it was normal, and that was very good news. She knew the doctor had been concerned about it and Kurt would heal faster without the worry of high blood pressure looming over him. She shook her head. It was not often that she saw such a connection between two people.

An hour later, Burt walked back in the room. He had taken Carole back to the house to get some rest, but wanted to see Kurt one more time before getting some rest himself. He had a few magazines in his hand and a paper bag with a croissant sandwich for a treat when he came in. There on the bed was his son, leg encased in the plaster cast, asleep in the arms of his boyfriend. A smile came to Burt's lips as he saw them, tangled together, Blaine's cheek resting on Kurt's shoulder. They looked so peaceful. Instead of disturbing the sleeping pair, Burt left the magazines and went back to his car, eating the sandwich on the way.

“Kurt, wake up, buddy. Kurt?” the doctor said, his hand on Kurt's unoccupied shoulder.

“What?” Kurt mumbled, swimming up from the depths of sleep to answer. He wiped his eyes and looked up. “Oh, hello Dr. Goodman.”

“Hi, Kurt. How are you feeling?” the doctor smirked.

Kurt looked at him quizzically for a moment before he realized Blaine was still wrapped around him.

“Oh...sorry, I was feeling sad and Blaine just wanted to comfort me, and I was...” Kurt scrambled to explain.

“Now, Kurt, it's okay. I don't object to Blaine being here with you. As a matter of fact, if I had a magical cure like him for all of my patients, I'd be out of a job,” Dr. Goodman smiled.

“Magic cure?” Kurt asked, a bit confused.

“Yes. The main reason you are still in the hospital now is that your blood pressure has been so high. As we discussed yesterday, it has been high since you were brought in and we were worried about it. It went to a dangerous level during the surgery, as you know. But after Blaine came to be with you today, your pressure is back to normal,” the doctor smiled.

Blaine was waking up and heard this, opening his eyes. “Does that mean Kurt can come home?”

“It does. We can release him tomorrow morning. We do need to keep him one more night to be sure it's going to remain at a safe level, but from what I can see home is the best place for you, Kurt. I have sent all of your records to your own doctor in Lima, so you can see him for all of the follow-up appointments and he can schedule physical therapy. You need to stay in Newport for a few more days, just to make sure it is all stable, then you can go home to Ohio. Do you have any more questions?”

“No, that all sounds good to me, “ Kurt said, smiling for the first time in days.

“Ah...I just have one. Can I stay here tonight?” Blaine asked.

“Of course you can. We can't have Kurt's pressure going up again, can we?” the doctor laughed. Normally he would have needed to talk this over with the parents and all, but over the weeks Kurt had been in hospital, the doctor had gotten to know the Hummels and understood about the close bond between Kurt and Blaine. He smiled. “Now, your dinner is on it's way, so I'll let you have some privacy. I ordered dinner for Blaine, too. I will need to speak with the two of you in the morning concerning care of that leg. You cannot be too rambunctious with it for several more weeks because it needs time to heal. We will talk about that later, but for tonight...no..ah...no intimacy that might involve moving that leg, understood?” Dr. Goodman gave them a severe look, which only made the boys giggle because they knew he was trying to be serious and having a hard time of it.

“Thank you, doctor, I'll try to restrain myself,” Kurt giggled. Blaine just blushed.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next evening found Kurt sitting on the sofa, pillows everywhere, watching a movie. He had finally gotten comfortable after coming home. He'd been practicing with the crutches for a week now and was pretty good on them, but it was tiring to walk very far. Blaine was asleep, his head on Kurt's shoulder and the blanket pulled up around his shoulders. Kurt felt a pang of guilt looking at him. The eye was still swollen and the bruise had not yet begun to fade. The stitches would be there for another week, and they looked sore. Tears began to fall, Kurt feeling lower than he could have ever imagined – all Blaine was trying to do was be of help, and this is how Kurt repaid him. It wasn't fair. He needed to think of some way to make him feel appreciated.

Burt walked into the room, taking in the scene: Kurt with his eyes squinted shut in concentration. Burt knew that look – Kurt got it when he thought he'd done something wrong. While he had an idea what that was – Blaine was right there and his injuries were on display – Burt wasn't sure how to fix it. He sat in the chair next to the boys and put his hand on Kurt's shoulder.

“Hey, Buddy. Can I do something to help?” he asked very quietly.

“No, Dad, this is something I need to fix myself. I messed up, I need to man up and find a way to fix it. But thank you,” Kurt replied, rubbing the bridge of his nose as though he had a bad headache.

“I think he forgave you, son. Probably as soon as it happened. He knows you didn't mean it,” Burt assured him.

“I know. I just need to do something – to make it right. Not just for him, but for me. It's like there is this imbalance now, and it's uncomfortable. I want my life back in balance,” Kurt sighed.

“You'll think of something. In the mean time, I have booked the flight back to Lima in two days. I know the doctor said a week, but Carole needs to get back to work and I need to get back to the shop. You, Finn, and Blaine need to get back to school. Do you think you'll be ready?” Burt asked.

“Yeah, I think it's time. I did have a wonderful time here, you know. In spite of the accident, we had a great time. I'm glad we came, and I'm glad we found a house to live in when we come here to school. Thanks, Dad.” Kurt smiled at his dad.

“No problem, Kiddo. I had a good time, too.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Kurt sat in the wheelchair while Blaine pushed him through the Dayton airport. They were back in Ohio, but not home yet. He just had the car ride and they would be able to rest. It had been a long flight, first on the little Cessna, then on the big plane to here. Kurt hated being in the wheelchair, but it was easier than the crutches in the airport. They got to the doors, Finn and Burt met them with the luggage and they got on the shuttle that would take them home to Lima.

Driving up to the house, the first thing they saw was a banner welcoming them home.

“Oh, I know Mercedes had something to do with this!” Kurt grinned. The shuttle bus pulled up to his driveway and Burt helped him out of the seat. He held the crutches tightly, a little wobbly on them today, and Carole opened the door. Stepping over the threshold, the family went inside to find the whole Glee club was there, food and drinks, banners and balloons welcoming them home.

“Oh, we missed you!” Rachel said, rushing to hug Finn, then Blaine and Kurt. Santana stepped up, hugging Kurt and whispering in his ear, “I missed you, Twinkle Tush!”

All the others were just as happy to see the boys home. They sat for a while getting all the details of what happened on the beach that day, along with all the fun things they did on vacation. In return, the boys heard of everyone else's spring break...trips to Mexico or Jamaica, drunk parties, and all the gossip.

Not long after, the welcoming committee broke up, all of their friends could see how tired they were, so promises to meet at school on Monday were made and the house was once more at peace.

~*~*~*~*~*~

The stairs to the basement proved to be difficult for Kurt to navigate on crutches, but he made it, sinking down on the bed. He was exhausted. Blaine came over to help him get out of the clothes he was wearing and into a T-shirt and his briefs. He couldn't wear any of his tight jeans with the cast on his leg, and he was not willing to cut any of them just to accommodate it, so Blaine found some of his yoga pants and would help him get those over the cast when he got up after the nap. Blaine stripped down to the same and helped Kurt into the bed, covering him with the blankets.

“Do you want company? Or should I sleep on the sofa?” Blaine asked, worried about Kurt's leg.

“Get over here and quit asking stupid questions,” Kurt groused. Blaine's eyes flickered over to his boyfriend and he flinched before he realized Kurt was kidding. He had only had the stitches removed that morning, and his scar was sore, but the hurt look in Kurt's eyes when he realized that Blaine flinched because of him was so sad. Blaine slunk over to the bed like a shamed dog, climbing in without looking at Kurt. That made Kurt's heart hurt. He had to make amends in some way.

“Blaine? Are we okay?” he asked in a small voice.

“Of course we are,” Blaine said automatically.

“Come hold me, please,” Kurt asked, and Blaine was right there. “Blaine, I know something is wrong...out of balance...with us. I can feel it. I know these past couple of weeks was hard on both of us. I had so many plans, but this stupid accident...well, I don't suppose it could be helped. Anyway, I am aware that I have a temper. I have had to rein it in all of my life, and the fact that I hurt the one person I love above all others is just killing me. So, can we do something to mend this? Please?”

“Kurt, I honestly don't have any bad feelings towards you about this,” Blaine moved his hand to encompass his face with the scar and the remains of the black eye. “I know you were under pressure, I know you were frustrated, and I just kept pushing you. You did lose your temper and throw a book at me, but I know in my heart you did not do it with malice. So, I look at it the same way I do your fall – an accident. I just want to get past it. Okay?” Blaine said, still not looking at Kurt.

“If everything is okay, then why won't you look at me?” Kurt asked.

Blaine sighed. He scooted closer and they shifted in the bed. Kurt's cast went from his heel to his groin and it was heavy, so special care had to be taken when he laid down. Blaine got the extra pillows and propped the leg in a comfortable position before getting back under the blankets.

“Feel okay like that?” he asked and Kurt nodded. Blaine moved in back to being the big spoon so they could cuddle. “Okay. Heart to heart? I feel bad about the accident. I feel like it was my fault. The whole kite thing was my idea, and I didn't take enough precautions – and you are the one that paid the price. I should have seen that you might fall, I should have been the one running....it was just my fault and now we don't know how much it will affect your walking or dancing or anything. And I just feel badly about it,” Blaine said, letting his feelings out for the first time.

“Oh, Blaine. That was not your fault at all. I just fell – I wasn't being careful, I was having too much fun. Please believe me when I tell you that I do not hold you responsible, not for one second. Okay?” Kurt said.

“Okay. I do feel badly, but I suppose you're right, there was no way to prevent this. So, can we call a truce? Because I'm tired and I need to take a nap before we tackle those stairs again,” Blaine said, looking straight into Kurt's eyes.

“I agree then, we can let this go and get back to more important things. Come here and kiss me, Blaine.” Kurt's eyes shone as he leaned in for a kiss.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Ladies, gentlemen, scholars and seniors of William McKinley High School. I welcome you to the commencement exercises this morning. Here to introduce you to the graduating class of 2011 is the valedictorian of the junior class, Miss Tina Cohen-Chang.”

There was a stir as the graduating seniors filed backstage to get in line to walk across the stage when their names were called.

“Mr. Blaine Devon Anderson,” came Tina's voice over the microphone.

Blaine walked across, a wide grin on his face as he searched the audience with his eyes to see his brother, Cooper, cheering. He was sitting next to Lenore and her father, Mr. Warner, who had come to see him graduate. It had been a long, hard road – but worth every minute of it to be with Kurt and to learn so much he could never have learned in his cabin in the mountains of Oregon. He waved and turned to Mr. Figgins, accepting his diploma and walking to the other end of the stage to wait for his friends.

“Miss Rachel Barbra Berry.”

They were all called in alphabetical order. When Tina called Kurt Elizabeth Hummel, he walked across the stage, still limping in his leg brace and using a cane, but on his own two feet. The cheers were loud as Burt and Carole whistled and cheered. Kurt gave a sweeping bow and grinned at them with a cheeky smile. He left the stage to fall into the arms of the light of his life, Blaine. They kissed for a few moments until Rachel and Mercedes cleared their throats and Finn poked his brother in the ribs.

It was a glorious day, warm and with a slight breeze. They were standing outside, the ceremony over and all the New Direction friends were stalling, not wanting to part. Kurt was sitting in a chair, his leg still a bit unsteady when he looked across the stadium to see...a red and blue box kite flying over the grass. He grinned and turned to Blaine.

“Our kite?” Kurt asked.

“Yep. I told you I went back and found it. It didn't seem right not to let it fly again,” Blaine explained, smiling at Kurt.

“Who is flying it?” he asked, squinting his eyes to try and make out the tiny figures in the distance.

“Sam's little brother and sister. They asked if they could try it out, so I put it together in the garage last night and took it over. I thought the kite deserved a nice home, right?” Blaine asked, his eyebrows raised in question.

“Of course, I couldn't have thought of a better one myself. Thank you, Blaine,” Kurt smiled, his boyfriend had the kindest heart in the world.

It was finally time to go and amongst tears and hugs, all of the friends parted to go home. Kurt and Blaine were packed and ready to start out in the morning for Oregon. Mr. Warner was taking them home with him in his private jet for them to spend the summer in Blaine's cabin and the boys could hardly wait. They had already shipped most of the rest of their things to the house in Philomath where they would live with Finn for the next four years of college. They had planned this all down to the last detail, but it also seemed so sudden – to leave their parents, to move away from home. Such a sweet and sad moment.

That night, Kurt climbed into his bed for perhaps the last time in a long, long time. He would probably come home for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but not before. He knew he would miss his dad. After an hour of tossing and turning, he found his cane and got out of bed, struggling up the stairs to walk around the house one last time.

He stopped in the hallway, looking at the picture of his mother. Sometimes she seemed so clear to him, but others she seemed to have faded away. He could still smell her perfume if he wanted to – she always wore Chanel No 5 and he had her bottle in his backpack. The next picture was of him standing between his parents, a large smile on his face as they stood in front of this house. He still remembered when they bought it, although he was only six. Along the wall were school photos, some of grandparents and aunts and uncles, one of the day his father made the last payment on the shop: “Hummel Tire and Lube” on the new sign. Then there were pictures of Finn as a boy, some with his mother, one with his father holding baby Finn in a dilapidated old recliner chair– the chair that was still in Finn's room and would probably remain there. The last part of the wall of photographs was the wedding: his dad and Carole looking so in love. A few past that of Finn and himself at show choir competitions, when they won Nationals – and prom. He was standing with Finn, Rachel looking so beautiful as she looked up at Finn and Blaine looking at Kurt the same way. It was a wonderful picture and both he and Finn had copies in their suitcases.

The very last picture was new. His dad must have just put it up today: Finn with his arms around Rachel and Kurt with his arms around Blaine, all dressed in bright scarlet robes getting ready to line up for graduation. The love and hope in all of their faces brought tears to Kurt's eyes as he looked at it. He patted the breast pocket of his robe to find a tissue when a clean handkerchief was thrust in his hand. He turned to find his dad standing there, tears in his own eyes as he took his son in his arms and held him tight.

“Kurt, I am so proud of you. I wish your mother was here to see what a beautiful young man you have become. She would be so proud of everything you have accomplished, of everything you are dreaming of, of everything you will achieve. Kurt, you were always a special person, so much like your mom, and I know you are destined for amazing things. Your mother would love Blaine, as much as I do because I can see what he does for you, how you two are meant for each other. Treat him with all the love and respect he deserves, Kurt,” Burt said, his voice shaking.

“Oh, Dad, I love you so much. Leaving you is the hardest thing I have ever done. One day I'll be back, I promise, and I know you'll be here waiting for me. Your love is the greatest gift I could ever have, Dad,” Kurt said, and dissolved in tears. He held his father as tight as he could, then let go and stepped back.

“Dad, I'll make you proud of me. I will,” Kurt said, barely able to get the words out. He flung himself at his father again, arms wrapped around him, his face buried in Burt's neck as he cried.

“Oh, Kurt. I want my sweet little boy back. But that isn't possible, so I'll take the wonderful man he has become. Now, let's get to bed. Tomorrow will be here before we know it.”

They parted in the hallway, Burt to walk up the stairs to his room where Carole was waiting to hold him. Thank god for that sweet woman because Burt couldn't get through this without her. Kurt went downstairs, trying to be quiet as he took off his robe and pajamas and slipped into the warm pocket of his bed. Blaine was waiting, arms out to welcome the boy that was the love of his life. He pulled him close, knowing how hard this was for Kurt to say goodbye to the family he loved so much.

It was hours later when Kurt turned over, having found himself too far away from Blaine in the bed. He quietly came close again, lying his cheek on Blaine's chest to hear his heart beating. It was a steady sound, and filled Kurt with feelings of safety and security, and most of all the knowledge that it was beating for him, just as his beat for Blaine. He was undone with the emotions of having to say goodbye to so many friends, to say goodbye to his beloved family, but in all that, he knew to his core that Blaine was his anchor in this world and would keep him safe.

“I'm here, Kurt, and I'll always be here for you. No matter what, I'll be here for you,” Blaine whispered and kissed Kurt with all the love he had. Kurt sighed in contentment and kissed him back, knowing it was true.