Sept. 11, 2012, 2:38 p.m.
Hearts
You're In My Heart : Chapter 28 - Snowed In
E - Words: 5,136 - Last Updated: Sep 11, 2012 Story: Complete - Chapters: 36/36 - Created: Jul 07, 2012 - Updated: Sep 11, 2012 462 0 2 0 0
Blaine and Kurt sat watching the snow as it drifted down in fat, fluffy snowflakes. Their family had left for New York yesterday and Cooper and Mercedes were stuck at the Jones house until the city could dig itself out of the worst snowstorm to hit Ohio in twenty years. Kurt had considered trying to shovel his Navigator out of the driveway, but it was a hundred feet to the street and the city hadn't even started plowing the main roads - and they didn't live on a main road.
Even Aramis was a bit lost in the deep snow. Kurt shoveled enough of a space for him to do his business, but it took hours and he came back inside sweating and sore. Lucky for the boys, there was plenty of food, the gas and electricity were working fine, they had phone access. And lots of time to be by themselves.
Kurt had found Blaine's favorite guitar in the music room storage closet, and Blaine was tuning it on the living room sofa. After tuning and playing a few melodies, he cleared his throat, smiled at Kurt, and started singing:
I'll be your dream,
I'll be your wish I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your hope I'll be your love
Be everything that you need
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do
I will be strong I will be faithful
'cause I'm counting on
A new beginning
A reason for living
A deeper meaning, yeah...
Kurt joined in at the chorus:
I want to stand with you on a mountain
I want to bathe with you in the sea
I want to lay like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me
And when the stars are shining
brightly in the velvet sky
I'll make a wish, send it to heaven
Then make you want to cry
The tears if joy for all themselves
pleasure and the certainty
That we're surrounded by the
comfort and protection of
The highest powers
In lonely hours
The tears devour you
Oh, can't you see it, baby?
You don't have to close your eyes
'Cause it's standing right before you
And that you need will surely come
I'll be your dream I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy
I'll be your home I'll be your love
Be everything that you need
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do
I want to stand with you on a mountain
I want to bathe with you in the sea
I want to live like this forever
Until the sky falls down on me.
Blaine was grinning, so happy to be playing his guitar again, He loved the piano and his violin, but the guitar was by far his favorite. Kurt loved it, too, and singing once more with Blaine made him so happy.
“So, do you think they're having fun without us?” Blaine asked, thinking of Finn and Rachel, Burt and Carole.
“Oh, I really hope so. Dad and Carole deserve a nice honeymoon. They gave me the money to go to Dalton instead, so it's kind of like I'm paying them back.”
“I understand. But to send them anywhere with Rachel Berry??”
Kurt laughed. “Yes, but you know I love her. You do, too, don't you?”
Blaine smiled, too. “Okay, you got me. I love her, too. I better – she's going to be my sister-in-law one of these days. Hey, did I tell you Cooper came to me right before we were going to leave and asked me if we were going to try to elope in New York? He said he'd sign the guardianship papers if I had my heart set on it.”
“Wow, how did my dad miss that opportunity to lecture me?”
“Well, I told Cooper we wanted a big wedding, so he was okay with that. Oh, and he wants you to get a passport. He wants to send us somewhere nice for our honeymoon. So as soon as the snow clears...”
“Yeah, I will. I wonder where he wants to send us?”
“My bet is Italy. He knows I love it there, plus I speak the language. We could do Italy and France, so you could practice speaking with the natives,” Blaine grinned at Kurt, taking his hand. Kurt smiled back.
“Let's sing another song.”
Several hours later, Kurt had made lunch...hummus of course, with fresh grapes, sliced tomatoes, and glasses of juice. Then Kurt walked into the dining room with two bowls and a smile on his face.
“Oh, peppermint ice cream and butterscotch!” Blaine crowed, seeing his favorite dessert in front of him. “What's the occasion, Kurt? Because I know you would never just let me have this for no reason...”
Kurt giggled. “No reason this time, I just wanted to show you I love you.” He leaned over for a kiss and began stirring his ice cream. Blaine's lips felt too warm, which made Kurt think he had better take his temperature after they finished the ice cream. Blaine looked kind of sick still, dark circles under his bloodshot eyes and his hand was shaking a bit. Plus, since he had seen the doctor, he hadn't tried to walk. Maybe he was just tired.
After lunch, Cooper called to check on the boys. The blizzard was still raging, so no progress on digging out, but the Jones family had made Cooper welcome and he was playing cards with Mercedes and her parents. They had plenty of food and were warm and safe, as were Kurt and Blaine. Burt called Kurt after that, excitedly telling him all the wonderful things they were doing, and to thank him for the tickets. He assured Kurt they would be sending him and Blaine on a similar trip as soon as Blaine was better. It wasn't snowing in New York, so Kurt didn't mention they were snowed in, he didn't want to worry his dad. After telling his son how much he loved him, Burt ended the call.
Kurt suggested to Blaine that they head to bed for an afternoon nap, and Blaine didn't argue, just held up his arms for Kurt to take him. They got to the bed and Kurt set him down carefully, his joints were tender with the cold weather. Blaine wouldn't let go of Kurt's neck and pulled him down on the bed with him, kissing his lips and tangling his fingers in Kurt's hair. Kurt hummed in pleasure, kissing back with the same intensity. It had been more than a week since they had gotten romantic and while Kurt was hesitant because of Blaine's health, he was more than happy to share a little love in the afternoon with his fiancé.
“Take off your clothes, Kurt....all of them, please,” Blaine whined, trying to unbutton his jeans and unbuckle his belt.
“Okay, have a little patience, baby, we have all afternoon and evening to do this.” Kurt got up and stripped, folding his clothes over the back of the chair, then moving to the iPod to start his romantic songs playlist. Unchained Melody started playing and Kurt hummed along as he pulled Blaine's sweater over his head, kissing down his arm as he pulled it out of his sleeve. It was warm in the room, a fire blazing in the fireplace making it romantic. They rolled together, Kurt stretching his long, lithe muscles and touching the whole length of his body to Blaine's body, wrapping his arms around the boy's shoulders and pulling them so tight together there was no light between them. Breaking away after a few breathless minutes, he rolled back on his side and looked at Blaine. He could just fill his eyes with Blaine all day and never get tired. He was so beautiful - starting with the curling mop of shiny black hair that Kurt loved to run his fingers through, pulling a little when he kissed Blaine just to hear the intake of breath that began his heart beating a little faster.
Blaine's eyes were by far the most gorgeous eyes Kurt had ever seen. They were large, with lacy black lashes fringing them, and that warm color of honey hazel with the moss green flecks to make them sparkle, like the water in a mountain stream. Blaine was looking back into Kurt's eyes, trying to determine the color they were today. Kurt's eyes tended to be blueish green, but not a muddy mix – more like a clear, bright color, just different with every emotion, with what he wore, with the weather outside. They could turn anywhere from ice blue when Kurt was angry to the dark gray blue of a stormy sky to the warm aquamarine of the Mediterranean Sea. His eyelashes weren't the thick lacy lashes like Blaine's, but long individual lashes like a china doll, so flirty and sexy.
Kurt reached out his hand, tracing the pattern of henna on Blaine's chest, still vibrant after almost a week, though the turmeric highlights were beginning to fade. He traced the lines, swirling around defining the muscles under Blaine's golden skin. There was just enough sunlight filtering through the window to show Kurt Blaine's skin to its best advantage. Kurt followed the pattern one more time, lightly touching the warm skin with just his fingertips. He moved his fingers to Blaine's right wrist, feeling the blood thrumming through the canals of veins and arteries to feed oxygen to his body. His fingers followed the vein up his arm, mapping the way for his kisses to follow, stopping every now and then to lick or suck a piece of skin. Blaine's eyes followed Kurt's progress, hungry for him to hurry, but not wanting to disturb the almost trance that Kurt seemed to be in.
After doing Blaine's left arm, Kurt moved to Blaine's neck. Here the ebb and flow of his blood was stronger, and Kurt was lost in feeling it under his sensitive lips. He could almost hear the red blood moving to exchange it's load of life-giving oxygen for the carbon dioxide to be carried away again in the never-ending cycle. Kurt moved his tongue in wide swaths, feeling the blood even more that way. Down Blaine's chest, he put his ear to Blaine's heart, listening to the steady rhythm of life there, listening to the lullaby he had gone to sleep to so many times when he sought comfort in Blaine's arms. He briefly closed his eyes to intensify the sound, but the desire in his own blood wouldn't let him rest right now.
Further down Blaine's body, Kurt stopped at the jutting hipbone on the left. How many times had he licked his way here, leaving purple marks all along this hipbone before moving to Blaine's throbbing erection. Kurt put out his tongue to leave a path of moist warmth over the bone, down to the muscles that made Blaine's stomach, flat and firm but sometimes wrinkled in tense rolls when Kurt's mouth was ticklish in his pursuit to get to other, more erotic places. Kurt stopped to rest, his head on Blaine's thigh, eyes closed and heart racing. Blaine's fingers came to rest on the back of Kurt's head, combing through his silky chestnut hair. Blaine had seen a few pictures of Kurt's mother, there was one on his desk, and he knew this luxurious chestnut coloured hair was a gift from her. He could see the memory in Burt's eyes sometimes when he looked at his son, when Kurt was asleep and wasn't aware of his dad's scrutiny. It was a moment so private – Blaine had turned his own head not to see the raw grief and longing in Burt's sad blue eyes.
Kurt sighed to feel Blaine's hand go from carding his hair to running his thumb over his cheek, and he turned to place a kiss on Blaine's palm. He lifted his head, moving his long arm to touch Blaine's ankle. He remembered the first time he saw Blaine out of his Dalton uniform. He was wearing red corduroy slacks with saddle shoes...and no socks. All he could think of that day was what he would give to lick that anklebone. He grinned at the thought, knowing he could lick that ankle any time he wanted now – and the thought was so overwhelming, he shifted his body so he could do just that. Lifting the leg a little by the calf, he kissed the ankle, moving his tongue over the hard bone. Blaine looked at him with a little surprise in his face, but didn't object. Actually, he practically purred. Kurt smiled.
Blaine's legs were not as strong as they had been even just a few months ago, but they were still muscled and beautiful. Kurt stroked the calf, moving very gently over the knee, which was red and swollen and hot to the touch, and up the center of Blaine's thigh. Shifting his body again, Kurt felt the large muscle and kneaded it slowly with his strong hands. He moved Blaine's legs slightly apart, kissing up the inner part of his thigh where the skin was the softest. Once again he could feel the flow of blood in this artery, pulsing under his mouth as he licked the place where the artery was close to the surface. Blaine could feel warmth building, burning in his blood as Kurt paid homage to his body. He had never felt so worshiped, so adored. He closed his eyes, never wanting this feeling to leave him, never wanting Kurt to leave. But he had been through hell, the devil trying to snatch his very life from him, and Kurt had held on every inch of the way. No, Kurt would never leave and Blaine heaved a sigh of intense relief, making Kurt look up from his ministrations to see what was disturbing Blaine. Blaine just smiled at him, moving his fingers in Kurt's hair once again, then closing his eyes.
Kurt moved up to place kisses on Blaine's face, holding him in his arms.
“Is everything okay, baby? Are you hurting?”
“No, Kurt. I..I just love you.” Blaine closed his hazel eyes and kissed Kurt back, sliding warm soft lips against Kurt's own lips.
Kurt rubbed Blaine's arms, kissing his neck, then gently rolling Blaine so he was lying on his stomach. He began by running his hands over the smooth muscles in Blaine's back, rubbing hard over the tense parts and softer as he reached Blaine's sides. He could feel the spring of the ribs, the strength in the spine. But Blaine jumped a little as Kurt moved his thumb down the length of his spine, letting a small cry go, but stopping before it got loud.
“Tender there, Blaine?” Kurt asked.
“Only a little, please don't stop.” Blaine asked, and Kurt continued. He stroked the backs of Blaine's thighs, gently rubbing the backs of his knees – just barely touching them so he wouldn't cause any more pain. Massaging the backs of the calves, his head pillowed on Blaine's buttocks as he reached down. Bringing his hands back up, he stroked his hands just lightly over the round cheeks of Blaine's buttocks, loving the shape of them, loving knowing that any kind of touching here would feel good, that he could do this for an hour and Blaine would just lie there and purr in satisfaction at the wonderful feeling. He massaged up by the small of his back, kissing the dimples where the pelvic bones jutted out. Kurt lingered here, fondling Blaine's cheeks some more, amused at how Blaine would almost arch like a cat to follow his hand if he stopped and moved away, emitting a sort of disappointed cry.
Leaning close to Blaine's neck and kissing him as he continued to caress his buttocks, slowly getting closer to the place where the two halves touched together, “Does that feel good, baby?” he whispered, letting a bit of lust into his voice.
“Oh, kitten...you know it does, oh, …...” as his words turned into a moan. Kurt moved closer, bringing his body next to Blaine's to share in the body warmth, but never stopping his caresses as he kissed down Blaine's neck, over his shoulder to lick his shoulder blade.
Blaine turned his head toward Kurt, pulling his body back a little so he could put his arms around Kurt, snuggling close to his chest, his head under Kurt's chin.
“Kurt?'
“Yes, baby?”
“I know we talked about waiting until after the wedding...to do ...well, to make love. I think of everything we do as making love, but you know what I mean..” Blaine was babbling in nervous bursts, but Kurt put his hand under Blaine's chin and lifted it up so they were looking at each other, deep into each other's eyes. He had to take a few breaths to calm himself before he could speak.
“Yes, we did agree on that. Why, what are you trying to tell me, baby?” Kurt whispered, closing his eyes once again.
Blaine moved back, burying his nose in Kurt's neck.
“It's just....well, what if we don't wait?” Blaine said so softly, Kurt almost didn't hear. But he knew what Blaine was going to say anyway, so it didn't matter if he heard it. Blaine continued. “It's just, well, the wedding is something we both want, a time to celebrate our lives together with the people we love and who love us. It's a symbol, but it's a symbol of what we already have. What we've had together for a long time now.”
“I understand, Blaine, and I agree with you. In my heart, we're already linked in every way that matters, to me you've been my husband since last June. We only have the formalities to finish, and that we can do later. Yes, I can hardly wait to have a wedding with you, to show the world how much in love we are. But do I need that to feel bonded to you? Of course not.”
Kurt brought Blaine in closer, kissing him and rubbing tiny circles in his back. Blaine kissed back with passion, feeling even closer to Kurt than he did even a few moments ago.
“So, Kurt...I was wondering if we can, do everything today. I want you so badly...”
Blaine kissed Kurt, deepening the kiss with every breath, licking his way into his mouth, moving his tongue to feel under Kurt's tongue, over his teeth, breathing heavily through his nose because he didn't want to break the bond of their mouths. Kurt's fingers were tangling in Blaine's curls, pulling him closer to kiss again, feeling the urgency in Blaine and knowing he felt the same way.
They broke apart, Kurt looking into Blaine's eyes once again, “Yes, baby, I want that, too. Just tell me what you need me to do, where you want me to be,” he smiled, stroking Blaine's chest, running his fingers over the henna pattern.
“I'm okay with either position..” Blaine said, a question in his voice.
“I think maybe I could top the first time?” Kurt asked in a soft voice, laced with want and need.
“Oh....yes, let's do it that way,” Blaine was pleased. He would have been happy either way, but this was the way he'd dreamed of it so often.
Kurt went back to his slow massaging, but perhaps more intense, the thought of what they were about to do quickening the hot blood in his veins. Their hands were moving all over each other, not too quickly, but in a dance with a rhythm born of a long time of intimacy, of knowing each other's bodies and what made them feel good, which touch brought the other the sharp thrill of pleasure. Blaine stroked Kurt's erection, slowly, gentle strokes, then faster with more friction and pressure for a while, slowing down again when the moans reached a new level.
Kurt sat up. Blaine was lying on his back, and they could looked into each others' eyes, seeing the intensity of the moment as their eyes dilated into dark pools of lust and love. He reached over Blaine's body to get the bottle of lube. Warming the slick substance in the palm of his hand, Kurt gently rolled Blaine over on his stomach, massaging and fondling his buttocks, pulling moans from Blaine's throat as he caressed him. stroked with his dry hand, down Blaine's inner thighs, brushing his balls as he parted the cheeks. Keeping his right hand closed over the liquid, he leaned down, settling himself so his cheek was nestled on Blaine's buttock, turning slightly to kiss him there before moving so his tongue touched the entrance. Blaine lost all coherent thought, the sheer intensity of the warm, wet tongue lapping there feeling more than he had even imagined he could feel. Kurt had done this before, but Blaine was so transfixed on the event about to occur, he was primed for hypersensitivity. Kurt could feel the fine trembling shivers going through Blaine's muscles and moved his tongue to circle the ring of muscle, then forcing it to go deeper. A moan ripped out of Blaine's throat, echoing off the walls, exciting Kurt more and more. He licked faster, then slowed down to make the touch more intense while Blaine struggled to hold still enough to take this, to try not to buck his hips and make Kurt stop.
But Kurt did stop eventually, replacing his tongue with his now slick finger, sliding in to begin to stretch Blaine to accept his cock. He didn't move far, though, and continued to kiss and caress Blaine's cheeks as he slowly slid his finger in a slow rhythm, waiting for the muscle to let go so he could enter another finger. He took his time, knowing that if he was able to prepare Blaine properly, he wouldn't have the burning pain of the first time. He looked up to see Blaine's face, flushed rosy under the golden skin of his face, eyes closed in concentration, mouth open a bit in trying to breathe in enough oxygen to keep him going. Kurt heard the moans increase and the muscles unclench just a bit more, and so entered Blaine with one more finger, massaging and scissoring gently to make room. Kurt was a little worried, the amount of stretch here didn't seem to be able to accommodate his own cock, he didn't want to think he was much bigger than most any man, but the fact was that he was well endowed and he worried he might hurt Blaine. He closed his eyes and thought about what he'd read concerning the first time experiencing anal penetration – that it was amazing how the body could stretch to accommodate in wondrous ways. Well, okay, then Blaine was probably ready. Kurt had managed to get three fingers in, and Blaine didn't appear to be in pain, if he could trust the loud moaning and cries Blaine was shouting.
“Okay, baby, are you ready?” he whispered, and Blaine tried to open his eyes and give Kurt a smile, but he was too wrapped up in the exquisite torture of wanting more.
Kurt pulled back, getting more lubricant and slicking it down his cock, kind of amazed how hard he was, like a brass rod he was anticipating this so much. Blaine rolled onto his back and looked up at Kurt, tears of happiness gathering in the corners of his eyes.
“I want to see you, Kurt. Can we do it this way?” Blaine whispered. Neither of them could speak aloud, it was like something spiritual going on here, and they treated it with proper ceremony.
“Yes, baby..this is better...” Kurt whispered.
Blaine moved his feet apart, planting one on the mattress, but Kurt lifted the other to rest on his shoulder so he could have more room. It was the moment, and Kurt almost froze. This was what people did when they loved each other so much that they could no longer satisfy themselves with cuddling or pressing themselves together, but needed to be inside the other. He needed to be inside Blaine. He had felt that for a while, a burning need that never left him anymore.
He moved forward, pressing his cock against Blaine's entrance, taking a breath of air and pushing in, a small amount, watching as Blaine's eyes got bigger, but remained encouraging. He pressed further, amazed at the warmth and tightness that surrounded him, amazed at the need to just thrust in as deep as possible, but he held himself in check. As much as he wanted to be buried in that smooth, heated ecstasy, he didn't want to hurt Blaine, so he went slowly, stopping when Blaine's face showed any sign of pain. But Blaine was trying to reach around Kurt's back, pulling him forward and a whine came out of him, wanting Kurt to give him more, to be all the way inside him, and Kurt did just that, moaning at the movement, feeling trapped between the fear of hurting Blaine and the need to feel this, to plunge into him with everything he had.
“Does it hurt, baby?” he asked, but Blaine answered with a shake of his head and sat up a little to lock his hands in back of Kurt, to pull him down, to pull him farther in and Kurt was lost in the heat and the velvet smoothness so tightly wrapped around him. It was so amazing, so good and he pulled back, pulled almost out of Blaine only to push back in to feel the friction against his cock. Blaine had his eyes closed now, panting with the intensity of the moment. Kurt thrust back, gently but not as slowly as the first time, wanting to make Blaine feel this good – and he was rewarded with Blaine, curling his voice around Kurt's name, thrusting back, his cock stiff and throbbing as Kurt pushed in again.
“Oh, my god, Kurt, oh...oh..oh...: Blaine was losing the ability to speak as fast as he was gaining the ability to thrust back, wanting more, “Oh, there, kitten, right there....”
Kurt let go of Blaine's hip where he had been holding and grasped his cock, sliding up from the base and back down, sliding his thumb over the tip, twisting just a little at the end to stimulate him more, a little of the lubricant still on his fingers. It was almost too much - the heat penetrating the very skin of his cock, the friction and the rhythm, hearing Blaine calling to him, the smell of Blaine in full arousal. Kurt could come just from that scent. And then he could feel Blaine tense up, gathering his strength for the end, and Kurt felt a new warmth from that thought – but before he could even name the thing that was prodding him on, making him groan and moan with every thrust, Blaine was shouting Kurt's name and come was shooting, splashing all over them, pulsing like he never had before – and it triggering something in Kurt he never knew he had, a heat that started in his balls and covered his entire body as Blaine's climax sent grasping sensations all down Kurt's cock, spasming tighter and tighter, wringing his orgasm out of him with an explosion like fireworks. It was so new and so intense, they fell down on the bed, shaking and trembling as their bodies tried to bring them back to normal...normal breathing, normal temperature, normal heart rate. Blane put his arms around Kurt, bringing him close as soon as he pulled out, They lay in each other's arms as if dead for a long while, just looking into each other's eyes, Kurt kissing Blaine's lips very softly as they rested.
Eventually, they had to get up. Kurt took Blaine into the bathroom to get the water ready, sitting on his shower seat and leaning over to adjust the temperature. Kurt returned to the room to change the linen, smelling the lavender pillow as he changed the pillowcase on it. He gathered the robes and set out clean pajamas, smiling because he found ones with teddy bears and heart on them for Blaine for Christmas. He went back in the bathroom and helped Blaine to shower. They took their time, washing each other and flirting a little with giggles and kisses. Kurt was concerned about Blaine since this was his first time, but he seemed to be okay, just a little sore.
“We practiced prepping so often, I'm not surprised I'm not sore, Kurt. You were very gentle, my love,” Blaine told him seriously, and Kurt was glad. He never wanted to be the source of pain for Blaine.
“I'm going to enjoy being married to you, Blaine,” Kurt said, planting a kiss on his cheek.
Kurt turned around to rinse the soap off his chest, and Blaine grabbed him in panic. Kurt twisted around, catching Blaine as he started to fall off the shower chair.
“Hey, you okay, baby?”
“Yes, I just came over a little dizzy for a minute there. But, no, I'm fine,” Blaine assured him, sitting straight on the chair once again.
“Let's get you back to bed, baby. Here, I'll just grab the towels.”
Kurt helped Blaine dry off and get into his pajamas, then tucked him under the covers. Blaine seemed a little warm again, so he gave him his next dose of tylenol and went to let Aramis out for a while. He fixed some hot chocolate, let the dog in, and took the tray back to Blaine. But Blaine was asleep, curled into a little ball under the covers. Kurt hated to wake him up, so he drank his own chocolate and shut off the lights, gathering Blaine up in his arms and kissing him on his cheek.
“Goodnight, baby.” he whispered to his sleeping lover,” Thank you for tonight, I love you.”
It wasn't until later that night that Blaine's temperature went higher, and the bacteria that had caused the meningitis in the first place were multiplying in his blood, never really eradicated with the last round of antibiotics. Blaine held on to Kurt by instinct, knowing only Kurt's love and tenacity could pull him back from the edge and keep him safe.
Aramis got up, paced back and forth for a while about 3 a.m. Then he sat down, pointed his nose to the ceiling and howled.
Comments
Oh no... I just have this bad feeling that Blaine is really to get really hurt or something. :/ Hope to see another update soon. LOVE THIS STORY
Thank you soooo much! I am having fun writing this, and having so many people read it just adds to the great feeling. Your review just made my day!!As for something happening to Blaine....well, the poor boy. I'm not telling, but I should have the next chapter up by tonight. I had to do a bit of research to get it written, but I'm stuck in bed for a while (been sick again) and writing keeps me too busy to feel sorry for myself. As much as you might feel sorry for Blaine, let me just say that I've been in his position (not meningitis, but similar) and I think it is much harder on his family - Kurt is the one that worries, he's the one whose heart breaks when Blaine is in pain, so save a bit of sympathy for Kurt the caregiver - he has such a tender heart.Just one last note...I will end this story on a good note. I love our boys and would never give them a sad ending.