It was almost midnight. Kurt hadnt been able to rest, much less sleep. It was New Years Eve and he had come home early with Blaine from the party they had been attending. Kurts head was hurting. Hed taken some medication, but it wasnt working and his headache hurt worse, if that was possible.

“Come here, baby,” Blaine coaxed. He was sitting on the bed next to his boyfriend, and he could see the pain in Kurts eyes. “Is it still your head?”

“Yeah. I dont know whats wrong, it hurts much more than a usual headache,” Kurt complained. Blaine ran a finger down Kurts face from temple to chin.

“Im so sorry. How about if I rub your shoulders and neck. Maybe its a tension headache?”

“Might be – sure. Im kinda sick to my stomach, too. Maybe I ate something that disagrees with me?” Kurt ventured a guess.

“Maybe. Just lie down here, take your shirt off first,” he asked.

Kurt slipped his shirt off, lying down on his stomach on the bed. They had spent the last few days cleaning the apartment that Kurt had inherited from Blaines uncle. Kurt hadnt even entered it for a long time after Andy died, the thoughts of his friend still making his heart sore. When he met Blaine and they talked about Andy, some of that soreness went away until Kurt got the idea that since the apartment was close to Dalton, they could live there.

So, in the deep snow of an Ohio winter, the boys spent three days cleaning and rearranging the apartment. They painted just the bedroom – the other rooms were colors they both loved and only needed washing. Kurt bought new linens and towels, Blaine bought dishes and cookware. They went shopping for groceries, giggling as they seemed to pick the same favorite foods in every aisle. It was a cozy space and they had moved in two days ago, dreaming of being alone together whenever they wanted to be. This was going to be their sanctuary.

Kurt felt the cool sheets below him and his skin shivered for a moment before Blaines warm hands touched his back and began the gentle massage at his neck, running down his spine.

“Do you have any oil?” Blaine asked.

“Ah...I have a terrible headache, baby....Im not sure Im up to getting frisky right now.”

“Oh! No, I mean massage oil. I thought it might be more comfortable?” Blaine explained. Kurt blushed at his assumption.

“Yeah....in the cupboard in the bathroom, there should be a bottle of chamomile and honey massage lotion,” Kurt said, his eyes closing tightly with the pressure of the headache.

Blaine got up to go get the lotion. On the way back, he slipped out of his clothes, hung them up, and put on a pair of flannel pajama pants.

“Here, baby, I brought you your pajamas. Can I help you get ready for bed?”

“Yeah...” Kurt agreed, then sat still as he let Blaine take care of him. Each movement hurt, so he just held out his feet as Blaine removed his jeans, and so on until he was in his own pajamas. He lay back down and closed his eyes.

Blaine put on some quiet music and warmed the lotion in his hands before returning to the massage. He squeezed the tense muscles gently, taking tender care to not hurt his boyfriend. He rubbed the muscles into submission, surprised at how tight each neck and back muscle was. Kurt made groaning sounds at first, causing Blaine to stop and assess if he was doing more damage than good. Kurt hadnt been eating well since their return to Ohio after the trip to Melbourne and Blaine was beginning to worry if hed caught some kind of bug while they were in Dromana. He could feel the muscles loosen in Kurts back and stepped up the massage on his neck for a while.

Soon enough, Kurt was asleep. Blaine sighed in relief, but worried if he perhaps needed to do something – call his brother to come take a look at Kurt, maybe? Would Kurt mind?

Blaine ended up stepping back into the kitchen with his cell phone after covering Kurt up with the blankets.

“Happy New Year, Squirt!” Coopers voice came through.

“You, too. Are you busy?” Blaine asked.

“Ah...its New Years Eve and there are maybe twenty minutes before midnight. What do you think?” Cooper laughed at his brother.

“Oh. I forgot,” Blaine said in an apologetic tone, but he wasnt going to let this go.

“Whats up – because I know something is. Forget its almost midnight...on New Years Eve?” Cooper said, incredulous.

“Its Kurt. He hasnt been feeling well since we got home from Melbourne and now he had to leave our Dalton party with a bad headache. Im worried about him,” Blaine whined.

“Okay, okay. I will leave right after midnight. Does he have a fever?”

“Maybe, but not too much of one. Ill leave the door unlocked. Were in Andys apartment by the way. We didnt want to stay in the dorms over the holiday,” Blaine added.

“Okay, see you soon, little brother. And Blaine? Dont worry. Hes probably just coming down with a cold or something,” Cooper tried to calm his brothers fears.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

The fireworks were going off over the lake in the park. Blaine had opened the drapes in front of the French doors that led to the balcony right off the bedroom. He sat next to his sleeping boyfriend, a hand on his back as he watched the colorful displays.

The noise woke Kurt and he sat up, rubbing his eyes and blinking as he looked out the windows on the doors.

“Wow! That is so beautiful!” Kurt said, seeing the fireworks. He glanced at Blaine, a shy smile on his face.

“Hi, baby. Hows the headache?” Blaine asked.

“Better. Thank you. Im sorry, I didnt want to ruin the party, but honestly my head felt like it was going to burst,” Kurt mumbled, scooting closer to Blaine as another bright display lit up the sky.

“No worries, I like spending time with you here at home, too.”

“Home, Blaine? You think of this apartment as home?” Kurt asked, but then he realized that Blaine had been in this apartment with Buddy and Andy long before Kurt had even met Andy – but to call it home?

“Oh, Kurt, anywhere you are, that is home to me,” he explained simply.

Kurt leaned over and kissed Blaines cheek, then snuggled into to his side to watch the firework display. Blaines arm went around his boyfriend, tugging him closer and leaving a few kisses in his hair.

“Hows the headache?” Blaine asked, clearly still worried about Kurt.

“Still there, but much better than it was a while ago. Thank you for the massage, it helped,” Kurt said, searching out Blaines eyes to be sure he wasnt upset they left the party so early.

The people in the park, all wrapped up in wool against the bitter cold of the Ohio winter night, were suddenly silent and both boys looked up. They could hear a loudspeaker in the distance where someone was counting down the seconds until the New Year.

“...Four! Three! Two! One!! Happy New Year!!!!”

The shouting and screaming burst forth from the crowd, everyone excited and cheering to welcome the new year. The music crackled in the loudspeaker and they heard the song – being sung by the dozens of people gathered in the park:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my jo,
for auld lang syne,
we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu'd the gowans fine;
But we've wander'd mony a weary fit,
sin auld lang syne.

Blaine sang along, not too loud, in Kurts ear. He knew all the verses and Kurt joined him – looking deep into Blaines eyes and blushing just a bit as they sang the song and Blaine kissed him ever-so-gently. Kurt gave him a soft smile, then cuddled in his arms.

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere!
and gies a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willy waught,
for auld lang syne.

Kurt thought about the words to the song, a sad song about long ago.

“That song always makes me want to cry,” Kurt admitted.

“Why? Its a song about remembering your old friends, about the days when they ran in the hills and picked flowers for each other,” Blaine said, helping Kurt to sit up straighter so they could talk face to face.

“Picking flowers?” Kurt asked.

“Yes. The line that goes:

We twa hae run about the braes,
and pu'd the gowans fine

It means that the two of them ran in the hills and picked daisies. Gowan is Scots for daisy,” Blaine told him, smiling at the thought of being alone in the hills of Scotland with Kurt and picking him flowers.

“You mean Gaelic?” Kurt asked, confused.

“No, that is a separate language from Scots, which I think is more like a dialect than a separate language? I think so anyway. Ill have to google it later,” Blaine rambled. “Robert Burns wrote the song and he spoke Scots.”

Blaine smiled. “In any case, I would love to pick you flowers.”

Kurt must have been thinking the same thing because his smile was growing.

“And the next verse?” he asked.

“We twa hae paidl'd i the burn,
frae morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roar'd
sin auld lang syne.”

Blaine sang the next verse again, the translated: “ We two have paddled in the stream all day, from dawn to dusk - but the sea has roared between us since those times of long ago. That is just a rough translation, but you get what he was trying to say. Then it ends with the friends holding each others hands and drinking a last drink to the good old days. Very sentimental, right?”

Kurt gave him a shaky smile.

“It is, but sad just the same. It means they were lost to each other for a long time – or they wouldnt be strolling down memory lane together, would they?” Kurt asked, his face a reflection of the sadness he was feeling.

“Oh, baby...whats wrong? This isnt a day to feel sad, is it? We are together, we have plans to stay that way – right? Then why let the sadness in?” Blaine whispered, his hand reaching up to hold Kurts cheek as he looked into his eyes. He could see the love plainly in those blue depths, but he could feel the sadness like a cold, wet blanket covering their happiness. He brushed the tears from Kurts cheeks with his thumbs as he showered his boyfriend with tiny kisses on his face.

“Tell me whats wrong, Kurt?”

“Nothing, it was just that song. Im being over-sensitive I guess,” he mumbled, turning his head away from Blaine and rubbing his arm across his eyes.

“Hey, why are you so sad, Kurt? Tell me about it, baby. I want to understand, but I cant if you dont let me in,” he said quietly, running a finger down Kurts cheek once more in an effort to get his boyfriend to look at him. Kurt gave in and moved his eyes back to those hazel brown pools that came from a dream.

“Its just...I understand that the song is two people getting together after a long time apart. I dont want that to be us, Blaine. I dont want to be apart for so long that we have to think of the past as being so long ago. That is the tragedy of the song – not that they got back together, but that they had to spend too much time apart. Even if they arent lovers – if they are best friends – its tragic,” Kurt said.

“We wont let it become tragic for us, Kurt. I promise. We will never spend so much time apart that we have to go get drinks at the local bar to reminisce. Okay?” Blaine posed the question. Kurt smiled.

“Okay, baby. Then well make a pact not to be apart. Is that better?” Blaine asked, beginning to get a little worried about Kurt. He wasnt one to mope around or get depressed as far as Blaine knew. He wondered if it had something to do with the headaches and fever.

“Yeah, thats better. Thank you, Blaine, I really do feel better,” Kurt said, closing his eyes and leaning into Blaines side. Blaines arm went automatically to Kurts waist and he lifted the boy onto his lap, holding him against his chest as if he were a small child. He rocked back and forth a bit, watching Kurts face as he fell asleep.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Blaine had dozed off, his head resting on the pile of pillows at the head of the bed, Kurt sound asleep in his lap and partially sprawled across the bed. Blaine woke with a start, hearing the squeak as the front door of the apartment opened.

“Blainers?” Cooper called, expecting his little brother to be awake and pacing the floor over Kurts illness.

“In here, Coop,” he called out as loud as he thought he could without waking the sleeping boy in his lap. He looked up to see his big brother walk into the bedroom.

Cooper came in, his leather physicians bag in his hand. He looked at the two boys, tangled together as Blaine was obviously trying to get Kurt to lie down in the bed instead of his lap.

“Hey, no...hes fine where hes at,” Cooper said.

“Okay then...” Blaine barely breathed as he tried to shift Kurt onto the mattress.

“Its all right, leave him be. Im fine with examining him like this,” Cooper said, getting his stethoscope out of his bag and putting the ear pieces in. He leaned over and listened to Kurts chest as his lungs moved the ribs in and out.

“Hes congested. Has he been coughing?” Cooper asked.

“No, not much anyway. He said it hurt his head to cough,” Blaine told his brother, anxious now that Kurt might be sicker than he had thought.

Cooper continued to examine Kurt, smiling at him as he woke up.

“Coop?” he asked, his eyesight bleary and his mouth dry again. He tried to reach for his glass of water beside the bed, but Cooper laid a hand on his arm.

“Wait a minute, Kurt. Im almost done,” Coop said using his doctor-by-the-bedside voice. Kurt relaxed back into Blaines arms and closed his eyes.

“Okay. I think you just had a virus but now it has turned into a respiratory flu. I cant give you antibiotics for this, they wont touch a virus, but I can treat you. Ill leave a bottle of cough syrup here with the instructions. Be careful to follow them, this has codeine in it. I am also leaving you an expectorant to loosen the phlegm in your lungs so you dont get pneumonia.”

Cooper stopped to be sure Kurt was listening to him.

“You need to stay in bed and keep drinking – water, orange juice, whatever. Get up and walk around the apartment every day. Blaine, make him some soup, okay?”

“Sure, no problem,” Blaine smiled at Kurt and laid a hand on his arm.

“If Blaine is going to catch this”, Cooper continued, “its too late to have him leave, but be careful of contact. You shouldnt go visit your dad until I tell you its okay. He does not need to catch this with his heart condition.” Kurt was taking it all in, especially the part about his father. He saw him every week.

“When can I go see Dad again?” Kurt asked, a little apprehensive at what he thought Cooper was going to say.

“Stay away for now. Youll get better – youre young and healthy. Just rest and drink fluids. Okay?”

“Okay. Thanks, Cooper,” Kurt murmured as he lay back down on the bed and Blaine pulled the blanket up around his shoulders.

Blaine walked his older brother to the door.

“How bad is he, really?”

“He sounds like it is just a lot of congestion. If his fever stays for more than twelve hours or so, call me. Well get him into the hospital for an X-ray of his lungs. I dont think its that bad yet. Keep him quiet and warm, lots of fluids. Both of you need to rest. I know it was taxing on you to have all the emotions seeing our family again. Are you okay with all that?” Cooper asked. Hed seen the way his mother acted when she met Kurt and he was worried that had a bad effect on Blaines nerves.

“Im fine. It was so great to see Grandma and Grandpa, and Dad. It was even good to see mother, but youre my real family, Cooper. You know that,” Blaine said with grim determination not to burst into tears. He would never understand his mothers veiled nonacceptance of him.

“You are mine, too, Squirt. Now, go take care of your man. Call if he gets worse. I love you, you know,” Cooper told his brother before gathering him into his arms and giving him a big hug.

“I love you, too. Good night,” Blaine said. Cooper left and Blaine locked the door behind him.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

Blaine stepped into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator and searching for whatever looked good to make soup. He selected celery, cabbage, carrots, and then a package of beef short ribs from the freezer. In the pantry he found potatoes, a can of tomatoes, and an onion. Adding salt, pepper and a few bay leaves, he was smiling.

He had the soup on and simmering in about half an hour before going to check on Kurt.

“Hey, Babe, how are you doing?” he asked as he rounded the corner to the bedroom. There was his boyfriend, sprawled across the bed and sound asleep, his legs tangled in the blanket and the pillow on the floor. He looked as if hed lost a tug-of-war with the bed.

“Here we go, sweetheart,” Blaine said as he eased his boyfriend back on the bed and over to his side. He untangled the sheets, putting them on the floor with the blankets. Then he changed his mind and went to wake Kurt.

“Wake up, honey,” he cooed, kissing Kurts hot forehead.

Kurt tried to open his eyes, but sleep was dragging him back down.

“No, no going back to sleep. Just sit on the chair for a few minutes, then you can get back in the bed,” Blaine coaxed.

Kurt stumbled over to the comfy chair and sank down into the soft upholstery. He pulled the afghan off of the back and wrapped the warm wool around his shoulders.

Blaine quickly stripped the bed, balling up the sheets to be taken to the laundry room. He got out a clean set, baby blue to match Kurts eyes, and got them on the bed in short order. The blanket followed and the quilt for the top. He fluffed the pillows in their new shams and set them on the bed.

“Okay, now – how about a bath? You are drenched in sweat from your fever, baby, and I think youll feel better if you come back to bed clean,” Blaine reasoned. Kurt was just too sick to argue, so he let Blaine lead him into the bathroom. When the steaming water was ready, he stepped into the water, letting out a huge sigh as the warmth reached his bones.

“Oh...that is heaven, Blaine. Thank you,” Kurt said, sliding down enough to cover his whole body under the water.

“Youre okay for a few minutes by yourself?”

“Sure, Blaine. Im awake,” Kurt said, flexing his sore muscles in the heat of the bathtub. He appeared to be alert, so Blaine stepped out to set up the bedroom.

Fifteen minutes later, he was back holding a fluffy white towel for Kurt to get out of the tub. Kurt pulled the plug, stepped into Blaines arms and sighed with happiness.

“Lets get you dried and back in bed,” Blaine said, wrapping the towel around Kurt and leading him back into the bedroom. He helped him get into flannel jammies, then asked him to sit in the chair once again.

“I made you some soup, baby,” Blaine explained, setting a small folding table in front of his boyfriend. He was back in a flash with a bowl of hot beef-vegetable soup. He was rewarded with a smile from Kurts lips.

It was obvious that Kurt was going to have to have help. His hands were shaky and he was so sleepy. Blaine spooned the soup in while Kurt struggled with staying awake. Sleep finally won when the bowl was almost empty.

“Okay, baby, lets get you back in bed,” Blaine said as he hefted Kurt up and guided the boy to his bed. Blaine tucked him in, set the medicine on his own side to give Kurt when the alarm went off, and got into bed next to Kurt.

“Thank you, Blainey. I love you,” Kurt mumbled, turning over and snuggling close to Blaine. He put his head on Blaines chest, his arm over his body, and promptly fell asleep. Blaine followed him, tired from the long day. They slept for ten hours straight.

When the sun was pouring in the windows and the room was light as day, Blaine blinked his eyes awake and felt Kurts head right away. No fever. He sighed in relief and slid out of bed, relieving himself and brushing his teeth before going to make some orange juice for Kurt.

Back in the bedroom, a tray with hot tea and fresh squeezed OJ in his hands, he set the tray down on the bedside table and sat close to Kurt.

“How are you feeling?” he asked.

“Better. I went to do my morning routine, but didnt get much done. Just my teeth brushed before I had to come back to lie down,” Kurt said miserably. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temple once again.

“Here is your cough syrup, it has codeine in it, so that should help the headache. I have some cold tablets, too, that Coop recommended. Just swallow them with your OJ,” Blaine instructed. Kurt rolled his eyes.

“Blaine. I may be sick, and I might need a bit of help, but my brain has not regressed to the capacity of a four year old. Please keep that in mind, okay?” Kurt snapped, then kissed Blaines cheek to show he wasnt really angry.

“Im sorry....yeah, I guess thats the way I sounded,” Blaine blushed.

“Can we just sit in bed, propped up on pillows, and watch the world go by?” Kurt asked.

“Sure we can,” Blaine agreed. They did have a good view of the park from the bed through the French doors to the balcony.

“Hey, it must have snowed half the night...that looks deep!” Kurt said, watching as a few brave souls tried their luck at walking across the park. It wasnt long before they saw several children, all wrapped in scarves with hats and mittens bring their sleds to slide down the hill in the park.

“Oh! Look at that!” Blaine said, cringing as one small child went so fast down the hill that she spilled out of the sled. She was a game little girl and got up to do it again – an older child came to check her over before helping her pull the sled back up the hill.

Kurt and Blaine watched the scene for a few hours, seeing various kids and sometimes their parents sled down the hill.

They ate soup for lunch and took a short nap. By late afternoon, most of the people had gone home and the snow was back, huge flakes floating down and covering the tracks from all the children and their sleds.

Just as Blaine got up to close the drapes, thinking Kurt needed a nap, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. Something was burrowing into the snow at the edge of the park, near the bushes and trees. He stopped and watched for a few seconds. When he turned to speak to Kurt, his boyfriend was also staring out the window.

“Was that a bunny?” Kurt asked, looking at Blaine.

“I dont think so – wrong color and it wasnt hopping. At least I dont think so...”

Blaine went back to look again and saw the little creature trying to walk in a small circle, sort of tamping down the snow before curling into the hollow it had made and putting its head down.

“It sure is cold out there,” Kurt said.

Blaine looked at the thermometer on the balcony.

“Sixteen below, wow. Thats cold. Does it get that cold here every winter?” he asked, though he wasnt sure he wanted an answer.

“Sometimes,” Kurt said, then bent over in a flurry of coughing, holding his stomach and squeezing his eyes shut. He was the very picture of misery.

“Lay down, baby, and get some sleep. Here, you need your cough syrup and the cold medicine first...” Blaine dosed his boyfriend, then tucked him in bed and left the room with the dishes from lunch. He needed to clean the kitchen.

~ ~ ~ KB ~ ~ ~

A few hours later, Kurt woke to the sound of some sort of crying. He knew it wasnt Blaine, and he was pretty sure it wasnt a baby, but it was pitiful and he needed to know where the sound was coming from.

Sitting up, he felt the room tip on its side as he squeezed his eyes closed. His head hurt and he was very dizzy. The coughing started again, taking his attention. Blaine hurried into the room, looking at Kurt huddled in a ball on the bed.

“Just keep calm, honey, try to be still and take breaths. Just short ones to begin, and Im here with hot tea if you need it,” Blaine cooed.

Kurt relaxed as much as he could, trying to take in air without panicking. He got in several breaths before he felt better. With a sip of the tea, he was able to breathe naturally once again and he focused his attention on Blaine.

“Thanks, that is so scary when I feel like I cant get air in,” Kurt said, holding onto Blaines hand.

“Coop was by. He said he still doesnt think you have pneumonia, but he did leave this puffer for you. He said your doctor told him youd used one before?”

“Yeah, just when Ive had respiratory flu. I dont have asthma,” Kurt said. He held out his hand and Blaine gave him the inhaler. Kurt let out his breath and then sucked it back in through his mouth as he sprayed the inhaler. He held his breath for a few seconds before he started coughing once again.

“Hey, I can hear the difference,” Blaine said, looking at the inhaler.

“Yeah, it opens the bronchial tubes. It helps when Im congested.”

Blaine sat in silence, his mind not on anything until Kurt gasped and grabbed his hand.

“What is that?” he demanded as a ball of golden fluff walked across the floor, stopping to squat and leave a small pool on the hardwood maple flooring.