Blaine was lying next to Kurt the next morning. He had already finished his morning routine with Kurt's help and after letting Aramis out, the boys had gone back to bed and slept for another hour. Blaine looked at his boyfriend. Kurt was just so beautiful. Seeing him every day had made Blaine somehow forget this, Kurt was like some sort of extension of himself, and he did forget to appreciate him from time to time, much to his dismay. It wasn't often that he woke up and Kurt wasn't awake and doing something for him, so he took this opportunity to study his boyfriend.

This morning, a shaft of sunlight hit the bed, not in Kurt's face, but close enough to highlight his porcelain skin. Asleep on the pillow, his cheeks were just a little rosy, his lips a dark pink – just the same shade as his nipples, Blaine thought abstractly. Kurt's eyes were closed, his long black lashes spread out on his cheeks, veiling those extraordinary eyes. Blaine had never seen eyes like Kurt's. They changed with his moods, with what he wore...hell, they changed with the weather. They could be any shade of green or gray or blue. Green like the leaves in the shadows of the forest, gray like a stormy sky just before the thunder roared and raindrops fell. Blaine laughed a bit to himself...leave it to a songwriter to wax poetic about his love's eyes. His favorite was when Kurt was really aroused: his eyes turned a shade of liquid blue that was the same shade as the Mediterranean when Blaine had vacationed in Italy. Another thing about him that Blaine thought about was that Kurt didn't need words, at least not with Blaine, those expressive eyes could say anything to him. Blaine sighed. He wanted to look at Kurt's eyes right now, but he didn't want to wake him up if he was tired.

Blaine continued his inventory. Kurt had such long legs....they were just unbelievable. When the boys had met, they were about the same height. But this past few months, Kurt had just shot up..and was now several inches taller than Blaine. Mostly it was his legs, usually encased in those skinny jeans that were so tight, they left little to the imagination. He had seen Kurt at an audition, dressed in gold lame pants...wow, that was an image that would never leave his mind. Kurt always dressed in things meant to accentuate his body. At first, Blaine had attributed this to some need for attention, or maybe to use as some sort of armor to keep other people at bay; but the reasons didn't matter. It was more that Kurt appreciated beauty and surrounded himself with it, and if that included his wardrobe, Blaine appreciated it.

Another thing that had changed in the months they had been together: Kurt was just downright buff now. He had struggled to lift Blaine in the beginning, and Blaine was too sick to notice. By the time he had wrapped his head around the fact that Kurt did practically everything for him, every day, Kurt was used to it and lifted Blaine without a second thought. He had muscular arms now, and a powerful back. It wasn't that Kurt was some sort of weakling before, but now...he was tight with muscles, but never brought attention to them. Blaine closed his eyes, thinking how it felt to run his hands down Kurt's stomach, feeling each hard muscle group along the slope between chest and thigh. He turned Kurt over in the picture in his mind, moving his hand almost in worship, from Kurt's thick chestnut hair, down his neck and back, feeling the spring of his ribs, then the dimples above his ass, trailing his fingers down the straight spine to the rounded buttocks and down the backs of his thighs. Kurt was such perfection, Blaine was breathless just thinking about it.

He moved closer, burying his nose close to Kurt's neck. Kurt was lying on his back, his arm thrown out to the side where it had been holding Blaine. Blaine snuggled closer,

Kurt had such a wonderful scent. Today he was wearing Blaine's favorite cologne, Aramis. Kurt used to wear it just on special occasions, if they were going out in the evenings. But Blaine just loved it, and after buying him a huge bottle of it, Kurt got the hint and wore it more often. You might think that the Aramis, combined with the vanilla-jasmine shampoo scent would clash, but it didn't. It merged with Kurt's own scent to make the most glorious scent Blaine had ever smelled. He had often thought to himself that Kurt just smelled like seduction itself.

All of these things were enough, more than Blaine had ever dreamed of. But they didn't hold a candle to the reason he cherished Kurt so much. No, that would just be Kurt himself – his laugh, his charm, his sarcastic wit and his infamous ice-cold bitch-glare. Kurt would do anything for anyone, never thinking twice about himself. He was a tireless optimist where other people were concerned, never letting Blaine stew in his own self-pity. Oh, Kurt could be a hard taskmaster, as evidenced by the way he almost forced Blaine to stick to his physical therapy. But he had a heart of gold, too. Who would ever dream that their boyfriend would spend so many hours learning about ways to help him get better, learning how to help his father – and now, as evidenced by the scribbling in his notebook last night - he was learning about pregnancy to help Mercedes.

Blaine often wondered if he had on rose-colored glasses, imagining Kurt to be better than he actually was just because Blaine was in love with him. But he examined his feelings (hell, he was stuck in this bed for so long, he had little else to do but think) and he could see no flaw in his estimation of Kurt.

Blaine looked up to see those beautiful blue-green eyes looking back at him, a smile on Kurt's luscious mouth. “Good morning, baby,” Kurt said in greeting, searching Blaine's face for clues to why he looked so flushed today.

Blaine didn't even take time to return the greeting, he launched himself at Kurt, kissing him thoroughly, stroking his face, his chest. He could barely breathe for kissing, licking Kurt's lower lip, pushing his tongue into Kurt's mouth – moaning and whining to get closer.

Kurt pulled back in shock for a split second, then kissed back, holding Blaine tight to his chest, stroking his back, trying to catch his breath between deep kisses. Blaine's hands went to Kurt's back, first trying to pull Kurt over on top of himself, then in frustration climbing on top of Kurt, grinding his hips down in to Kurt's body, creating friction – but even that didn't seem enough. Kurt gently put his hands on Blaine's shoulders, pushing him away a little bit, eliciting a deep whine from Blaine, who struggled to get closer again.

“Hey, hey, baby..what brought this on? I mean, I appreciate it – but what's going on?”

“I just want you, Kurt. I need this, I need you, Please?” Blaine was almost on the edge of hysteria.

“Okay, baby, okay. Let's slow down a little though,” Kurt said in a soft voice, folding Blaine into a gentle hug. Blaine struggled against him, not wanting to be restrained and resumed licking and rubbing down his chest, moving his hands up Kurt's long legs, pulling off the briefs that were in his way. This was not sweet seduction – this was just lust. He pushed Kurt's hands away when he tried to stroke him, and engulfed Kurt's cock in one lunge of his mouth, using his tongue to move up and down the underside while he sucked. He moved his tongue, over the top and massaging around the head, humming vibrations and gently massaging Kurt's balls. Kurt had never seen Blaine so needy – so intense. He hardly knew what to do, Blaine was just in a frenzy. He was caught up in the adrenaline rush of it, and was very close much sooner than he thought possible.

“Oh, Blaine...so close...” he managed to sort of say in his breathless condition. Blaine was rutting against the mattress as he worked on Kurt, but Kurt managed to push him a little bit to the side, enough to get his fist around Blaine's cock and pump as best he could under the circumstances, but it was enough. Blaine was wound so tight, it took just a gentle touch to send the heat from Blaine's belly shooting out his cock and landing all over Kurt, which in turn began the steady release of Kurt's own orgasm deep down Blaine's throat. A bare few minutes later, both boys lay as if dead, Kurt pulling the sheets close around their shoulders to keep the chill from Blaine's body.

When Blaine has calmed down and his breaths were no longer panicked whines and squeaks, Kurt moved him back just enough that he could see his face.

“Blaine? Want to talk about it?” he asked.

“No.” Blaine said, hiding his head in Kurt's chest.

“Blaine...I am not complaining, but something must have brought that on. Are you okay? Ah....are WE okay?” Kurt was beginning to get a little worried.

“No, everything is fine. I just...just wanted you, Kurt. I think sometimes I take you a bit for granted. You are so kind and sweet to me and everyone around you, and I was thinking a lot about you while you were sleeping....and I just couldn't wait another minute. That's all.” Blaine finished. He had his arms crossed over his chest by now, in a guarded pose, a little afraid of how much he had needed Kurt. Instead of getting up to clean first themselves, then the bed, Kurt just pulled Blaine close and put his arms around him, holding him and comforting him until Blaine was once again asleep.

It was almost two more hours before the boys woke to a small whine from the patio and a scratch on the glass French door. Kurt yawned and stretched, calling out to the dog to hush. Aramis was immediately silent. Kurt got up and walked to the door, letting the collie in, and turning to see how Blaine was now. He looked somewhat pale, but okay.

“Want a shower?” he asked. Blaine nodded and moved to the edge of the bed. He started to try to stand and Kurt was right there, an arm ready to catch him. But Blaine only made it a few steps before he started to shake and finally had to admit defeat.

“Honestly, Kurt. I just do not understand why my legs won't work. They seem just fine, I do all the isometric exercises, and they just never improve. I first got sick in June. Now it's November. Five long months and I still can't walk, I still can't push myself in the wheelchair. I am still bone tired halfway through the day. I feel cranky and moody and I see you do everything in your power not to react when I'm that way. It's not that I'm not grateful – but you shouldn't have to be so guarded around me. I know you all don't want to tell me this, but I haven't had any real progress since July, have I?” He nailed Kurt with a direct look that dared him to lie.

“Blaine, there is progress. But it's in other things, you don't need so much medication now, the bouts with the pain in your joints are farther and farther apart.”

“Kurt. They may be farther apart, but they are worse in intensity. I don't see that as an improvement. Look at my legs, Kurt. Look. They have no muscle tone. I do all the isometric exercises, I move them as much as possible. You do the massages. But they are NOT improving. Are they?” Blaine was now speaking in a monotone, devoid of emotion.

Kurt came over to the bed, sitting down next to Blaine and shifting him back onto the center. “Lie down,” he said in a soft voice. He moved his hand to the top of Blaine's left thigh, sweeping down the leg, feeling the muscles. With very firm but gentle movements, he picked up the leg by the knee and calf. “Tell me when it hurts you.”

He manipulated the leg, bending it and gently but firmly pressing the joint to see how far Blaine could move it. Then he repeated it on the other leg. Blaine just laid there, letting Kurt examine his legs. It hurt a little, especially when Kurt pushed sideways on the knee and ankle, but it wasn't terrible painful.

“Okay, let's see you stand up again,” Kurt continued. He stood up first, holding out his arms to Blaine to help him stand. Blaine tried his best, getting to a standing position and moving his back straight. He picked up his left foot, moving it forward in a determined effort. But when he shifted his weight, the pain in his knee was like a hot knife, and he would have fallen if Kurt's strong arms hadn't caught him.

“Blaine, did you fall because your knee hurt and that's why you couldn't use your leg to stand, or did the muscle refuse to hold you, which caused the pain in your knee?” Kurt asked after helping Blaine back to the bed.

Blaine sat still a minute, going over it in his head. “Let me try again, okay?”

“Sure thing,” Kurt moved into position and Blaine stood up, holding fast to Kurt's arm. This time he stepped forward with the other foot first, concentrating very hard. But the results were the same, he couldn't keep himself standing and the pain that was stabbing through his left knee was worse in his right.

“It felt like there was just nothing there to hold me up, Kurt. Like my muscles had turned to water. It used to be I could walk ten or twelve steps before that happened. But I just can't be sure if it's the muscles are weak or the pain is interfering.”

“Okay, baby. Enough of that. I'm going to talk to the doctor today and maybe we can get some kind of new test to determine what's going on. We may be on to something here, though,” Kurt told him, then swept him up in his arms and waked into the bathroom to set him on a chair while he prepared a nice hot bath.

It was Tuesday, so Kurt and Blaine didn't have morning classes with Miss Holiday, and didn't have to be at Glee Club until 4:00. After their bath, Kurt helped Blaine get dressed and they went into the living room. Blaine had wanted to play the piano for a while, so Kurt opened the doors to the music room and put the wheelchair in easy reach of the keys. After a few scales, Cornish Rhapsody could be heard all through the house.

Burt came down the stairs, a smile on his face.

“Hey, kid. Your mom used to love that piece of music,” he said, patting Kurt on the shoulder. Kurt smiled at his dad. “You guys don't have to be at school until 4:00, do you?” Kurt shook his head. “I was thinking, Kurt, that Mercedes might need somebody to talk to, maybe her best friend?”

“Yeah, she's probably missing Cooper. I know things are okay with her parents, but she might just need to talk,” Kurt said.

“I took a day off work to deal with some of this paperwork until Cooper gets home. I haven't heard back from him and his phone won't connect. Why don't I stay here with Blaine and you take Mercedes out to lunch?” Burt suggested.

Fifteen minutes later, Kurt had kissed Blaine goodbye and left him with his dad. He was on his way to pick up a rather reluctant Mercedes to take her to lunch. He anticipated an argument – she would want to go to Breadstix and he was determined to take her to the salad bar at Market Day Diner. Well, he could be pretty stubborn when it mattered.

Blaine had played several pieces and was getting kind of hungry and tired. Burt came over, asking if he wanted to go eat in the kitchen. “I talked Mrs Shaw into making us pizza, since your mama tiger isn't here to growl at me,” Burt laughed. Blaine gave him a gruff look, but smiled to himself.

They helped themselves to the pizza Mrs Shaw had left before leaving to visit her sister. Burt had even produced a Pepsi for Blaine and a beer for himself.

“Okay, what's on your mind, sir?” Blaine asked. He had enough experience with parental meetings to recognize one when he met it.

“I knew you were a smart kid, Blaine, Except my name is Burt...not sir.” Blaine nodded.

“I spoke to your brother last night. He told me to take care of Mercedes' medical bills and such, make sure she has everything she needs. I wrote her father a check to cover it. When Coop left for Istanbul, he gave me an envelope and told me it was guardianship papers for you if an emergency were to occur. I think you knew that much?” Burt raised his eyebrows at Blaine.

“Yeah, he told me that much, right before he told me he would be back in a few weeks.”

“Well, that night with everything going on with Mercedes, he had told me to open the envelope when I spoke to him. We lost connection right after that. I haven't been able to talk to him since. But when I opened it, there was a lot more in there besides those papers. He had drawn up a personal power of attorney. Do you know what that is?”

“Yes. You have the power to act for him in all legal aspects until his return,” Blaine said.

“That's right. I believe the only reason he gave me that power is because he trusted me to discuss with you anything that needed to be done. Do you understand what your situation is in your family's business?” Burt inquired.

“Yeah. Probably not as much as I should. I depended on Coop to do most of it for me. He's a CPA, after all, and vice president of the company. I own a quarter of it, but I don't inherit until I'm 25. Is that what he told you?”

“Basically. But there is more. You know you own this house?”

Blaine blushed bright red. “Yes, but it was Coop's idea you and your family move in here. I agreed. It's best for all of us, isn't it?” Blaine asked.

“I agree, but I would have preferred to know the truth from the beginning, Blaine. I may be just a blue-collar guy that was lucky enough to buy his own garage. But I'm not stupid.”

“Oh, Mr Hummel...nobody thought that! Why do you think Coop left you the POA? He trusts you.”

“Okay. Now, I have to talk to you about something serious. I'm worried about your brother. I can't get hold of him at all. I called his secretary and she can't get a hold of him. This may just be some problem with the communications overseas, but I think you should be prepared just in case. If something were to happen to him – and I'm not thinking anything has - but if, the percentage of the company that you own is then 50%, and you inherit it immediately.”

Blaine just sat there, his mouth open.

“Now, I don't see that happening. If it does, the paperwork makes me your guardian until you are 21. I just want you to be prepared, Blaine. I want no surprises or secrets. Do you understand all of this?”

“Yeah, I do, Mr Hummel. I do. But Cooper is okay...I know he is.” Blaine was pale and Burt was getting a little worried. But Blaine took a deep breath. “I knew that could happen. Dad has tried to groom me to take over half the company since I was born. I just....just never could picture myself in that position. I can't say I don't want it, it was more like a fairy story when I was little. Dad was never there, Mom barely there. They love me, I'm sure. They pay for all my expenses. But Coop was more of a father to me than my dad ever was.”

Burt put his arms around Blaine. “I'll be here for you, kid. You're just like my own son, you know.” Blaine blinked back tears.

“Mr Hummel....Burt. As long as we're talking about things...I wanted to ask you something.”

“Okay, kid. Ask.”

“It's about...Kurt.” Blaine stopped and looked at Burt.

“What about him?” Burt had a sneaking suspicion he knew where this was leading.

“You have seen my financial situation. Even if I am unable to get better...to walk again...I have an income for life. I don't just have my share of the family company, I have a trust fund. It's enough to live on for me and any family I might have.” Blaine closed his eyes, gathering courage. He opened his eyes and looked in Burt's eyes. They were blue and very much like Kurt's. “I think you know I love your son.” Burt nodded. “I want your permission to ask him to marry me. Not right away, but as soon as we turn 18.”

“You've thought this over.” It was a statement, not a question. Blaine nodded.

“I think you're too young, Blaine. But that isn't enough to make me forbid it. I want you to be sure. But I trust your judgment. I can't imagine anyone who would love Kurt more than you, Blaine, and I would be proud to have you as my son-in-law because you are already my son in my heart. Now, will you excuse me for a minute?” Blaine nodded.

Burt was back in just a few moments. He had an old box in his hand, just the size for a ring. “Blaine, I want to give you something,” he said, handing the worn velvet box to Blaine.

Blaine got a funny look on his face, then shrugged and opened it. Inside was a gold band with a linked pattern like twisting vines. On the vines were tiny leaves, and a diamond in the center of each. The ring was not feminine in any way, it looked old-fashioned and masculine in spite of the floral design. Blaine looked up at Burt, a question in his eyes.

“This,” he started, then stopped to brush tears away. “This was the ring Elizabeth, Kurt's mama, gave me on our wedding day. I don't know if Kurt will recognize it, I haven't worn it in years - but I know he will cherish it once he knows. I love Carole with all my heart, but I loved Elizabeth, too, and she gave me the greatest gift of my life. She gave me Kurt, and this will connect him back to his mama.

“Blaine, when you first came to live with us, in those days after you got sick, I knew Kurt really cared for you. The two of you have a connection I have never seen between two people. I can feel the love you share, and I believe in it. Finn showed us the video of you singing to Kurt on the first day of Glee Club. I knew then that you would be asking me this question. I went to talk to Elizabeth that night, went to her grave and spoke to her. I believe with all my heart that she would welcome you to our family, and would be as overjoyed as I am that my son has you to love him.”

Blaine leaned forward and held out his arms, Burt met him halfway and the hugged him.