The next day they arrived at the boardwalk just before 11am, after breakfast and a heart-to-heart between Cooper and Blaine, both apologising and understanding that Blaine really has been through a hard time and his mental state isn’t exactly stable right now. Blaine walks through the crowd, looking everywhere; half fascinated and half wary.

Cooper and Mercedes scanned the crowd for the boy they saw yesterday and Finn hangs back, watching some entertainer.

Suddenly Mercedes squealed and they all turned to see the young man walking down the boardwalk. Cooper walked up to Blaine, putting a hand on his back in case his brother fell. “Is that him Blaine?”

Blaine nodded. The blond hair and style change were cute and misleading but he’d recognise that face and gait anywhere. Kurt was here, walking in front of them like he belonged here.

Finn came up behind them, his eyes never leaving his long lost step-brother. “So how we doing this?”

Blaine looked at all of them, an idea forming in his mind. “Ok we need to surround him but from a distance. He’s going to run so we need to block him off. Mercedes you stand here and call out to him ok?”

Mercedes saluted, squealing and bouncing with delight at having found Kurt. Blaine walked around and behind Kurt some way away, Finn to his left and Cooper to his right.

Mercedes took a deep breath, steadying her nerves and looking over at Blaine who nodded. She took another breath, her eyes landing on the oblivious young man. “Hey Kurt!” Her breath caught as he stopped dead and his eyes connected with hers, a look of horror and realisation on his face and maybe some relief, just before he bolted.

Finn, Cooper and Blaine took off after him as he ran down a side street none of them had accounted for, Blaine shouted. “Kurt Hummel you stop right there!” The young man barely glanced at him before running faster.

 Blaine heard Cooper gasping. “Damnit he’s fast.” Cooper wasn’t a strong runner and Blaine glanced back to see him fall back, jogging before stopping.

Blaine watched the young man dashing through the people walking down the street and gathered up every angry feeling, every frustration and every tear, forcing himself to go faster. Kurt had always been speedy but Blaine was faster. He managed to get around him and launched himself at the young man, grabbing him around the wrists as he struggled. “Kurt stop!”

“Let go of me!” He shouted struggling against Blaine’s hold and refusing to look at him. Finn came to a stop beside them, Cooper and Mercedes not far behind.

“White boy you know not to make me run.” Mercedes gasped, fanning her face, seeming not to care about the scuffle starting between Blaine and ‘Kurt’ as he tried to wrestle away from the shorter teen.

Cooper looked around, seeing people watching them. “Blaine we’d better get away from the street before the cops come and see what’s going on.”

Blaine nodded, trying to get the man struggling in his grasp to look at him. If he could see those eyes… “Please stop struggling, Kurt this isn’t helping just come with us.”

The blond haired teen looked up finally, his eyes covered by sunglasses. “I’m not who you think I am. My name’s Topher.” (A,N: Sorry I couldn’t help it)

Finally the other man wrenched away from Blaine but he ran straight into Finn who hoisted him over his shoulder and walked down the street, ‘Kurt’ silent, shocked into submission. “Yeah you keep telling yourself that dude.”

They soon came to a deserted street and Finn put him down but before he could run Blaine pushed him against the wall, holding his wrists pressed into the brick. “You’re not some guy called Topher. You’re Kurt Hummel and you’re coming home with us.”

The taller teen sneered at Blaine. “And what if I called the cops and had you arrested for kidnapping?”

Blaine sneered back, pressing the other teen back against the wall, getting in his face. “Then I’d tell them who you really are and they’d drag you back to Ohio.”

The other man’s eyes flickered behind his sunglasses, shocked. Blaine took the sun glasses off, and for the first time in 5 months felt warmth and love flow into his heart. Kurt’s eyes.

They stared at each other for a few seconds then Kurt’s shoulders sagged, looking away from Blaine. “Let me go Blaine, I’ll go with you. I’ll take you to my apartment, we can talk there.”

Blaine smiled and let go but Kurt went to run. Cooper grabbed him and turned him around. “Ah, ah none of that. Blaine and Finn didn’t travel all this way for you to run off again now. Be a good boy and direct us to your apartment.”

Kurt glared at Cooper as they walked back to Cooper’s car. “You’re kind of an asshole, do you know that?”

Cooper sniggered. “Says the man who ran away for 5 months. Get in.” He pointed to the passenger door as they reached the car. Kurt looked back at Blaine and Blaine saw regret in his eyes.

The ride was silent apart from Kurt’s directions. Blaine fell asleep in the backseat, all the adrenalin and worry from the last 6 months gone, leaving the teen exhausted.

They reached the apartment and Kurt let them in. Blaine looked around, wrinkling his nose at the sparseness. “You live here?”

Kurt nodded. “I knew one day I’d have to leave again and there’s not much point to having stuff when you don’t have anything.”

Finn nodded, looking around himself and wandering into the kitchen. “You know you only have yourself to blame for that, right?”

Kurt nodded, sagging down onto the couch. Blaine sat next to him.  “You know I never stopped loving you. I just freaked out. I don’t even know why I ran away, apart from the NYADA stuff and Rachel.” He looked at Blaine as his ex wound their fingers together.

Blaine nodded. “Then why did you stay away? You took all of your money and just left us.”

Kurt sighed, locking eyes with Blaine. “I felt like a failure, Blaine. I thought that none of you would want me and if I just kept on going I could make a name for myself somewhere else, you’d be proud.”

Blaine gaped at him. “I was proud of you. You didn’t have to go anywhere for that! I loved you Kurt and you broke all your promises. You left me.” Blaine started crying and Kurt wrapped his arms around him, letting Blaine cry into his shirt. “I’m sorry Blaine, I’m so sorry.”

Blaine looked up at him. “Why did you leave me?” He asked miserably, leaning away from Kurt and sitting upright, resting his elbows on his knees, his head in his hands.

Kurt sighed. “For 5 minutes I forgot who I was. I forgot who you were and my dad and Finn and NYADA and I just…I wanted that feeling to carry on so I left, and by the time I was done running I’d gone so far I couldn’t come back.”

Blaine looked at him, scrubbing his hands over his eyes. “You could have come back Kurt.”

Kurt smirked slightly, nudging Blaine’s shoulder. “I know but I’m 19 and stupid, also have you met me? I’m kind of dramatic and ridiculous.”

Blaine smiled a little. For all the things about Kurt that were different, he really hadn’t changed and he could still charm Blaine into falling for him. “Yeah but you were my dramatic, ridiculous boyfriend. I missed you Kurt.”

“I’m sorry Blaine.”

“So,” Finn clapped his hands together as he walked back into the room, breaking Kurt and Blaine’s stare. “You’re coming home with us.”

Kurt glared at him for a second, his face softening at the hopeful looks from Mercedes, Cooper and Blaine. “I have a life here Finn; I can’t just up and leave.”

Cooper snorted. “I’ve seen your commercials Kurt, you can.” He smirked at the teen and watched as Kurt went back to one of his bitchfaces.

“How’s Ted Danson?” Kurt sneered, his eyes not quite hiding the mirth behind the jibe. Cooper stepped back, his hand over his heart, grinning as he faked getting shot. Kurt sniggered and looked down at his hand, the fingers entwined with Blaine’s.

“Well too bad ‘cos we have a plane ticket with your name on it for a plane that leaves in two hours.” Finn said standing and looking around. “So pack up, we’re moving out.”

Kurt sighed and stood up, his hand slipped from Blaine as he resigned himself to going back to Lima. He sidled past Finn on his way to his bedroom, Blaine following behind. “Yeehaw cowboy.”

Kurt packed up his essentials and loaded them into Cooper’s car, making Cooper promise to bring up the car when he could, he’d gotten kind of attached to it, though it was nothing on his Navigator, that car had gotten him to California and it was hard to let it go.

The journeys were silent. Finn had called Burt with the news when Kurt had been packing and Kurt fell asleep after the plane left the runway.

Blaine watched him. He’d been gone so long Blaine had almost forgotten how gorgeous he was, but up close Blaine could remember every mark, every freckle, every inch of the man he loved. He had to admit the light tan looked good on Kurt, he must have been enjoying the sun since moving to California but, as he trailed his eyes up to the blond hair disdainfully, that hair had to go.

Kurt was woken by Blaine talking to Finn quietly so Kurt just stared. In the dark cabin he could just make out Finn and the other passengers but Blaine had turned the light above them on and he was washed in the light, giving Kurt a perfect view of him. He looked gorgeous. His hair was curly, longer and obviously well-kept. Kurt wondered how much about Blaine had changed. Was his style different? Was he happy? Had he found love after Kurt vanished?

Suddenly a huge wave of guilt crashed over him. What had happened to Blaine, to Finn, to all of them since he’d vanished? What had he done to the people he loved?

He sighed as the plane touched down, causing Blaine to look over and smile. He smiled back and squeezed his hand. He really wished he was back in California right now, but he had to explain and make things right, and he loved Blaine, more than anything and he’d hurt the gorgeous curly haired man enough already. He reached up and cupped Blaine’s cheek, looking into his eyes. “I love you so much.”

Blaine blinked, his face cracking into a grin and happy tears filling his eyes. “I love you too Kurt, so much.” He met Kurt half way and they kissed lovingly.

Blaine held his hand as they left the plane, through to baggage claim and through the doors to meet his dad on the other side. Kurt’s breath hitched and he stopped, on the other side of those doors was his dad and step-mom. He couldn’t do this.

Blaine rounded on Kurt as he felt Kurt’s hand slip from his. “Kurt?”

Finn turned and stopped. “Dude come on. You’ve made it this far.”

Blaine stood in front of him, forcing Kurt to blink. “Baby please, Kurt they miss you too. I know it’s scary but please, don’t run again. We need you back.”

Kurt blinked, his hand automatically rising to wipe Blaine’s tears away. He nodded, slipping his hand back into Blaine’s. “Ok, I’m sorry. I’m ok.”

Finn grinned and they carried on walking. The harsh air of the airport whooshed over him and for a second Kurt felt Blaine’s grip slip before holding him stronger than before. He looked to see Blaine looking at Burt and Carole, a triumphant smile on his face. Oh.

Kurt locked eyes with his dad. He was grinning and waving and jumping up and down. Carole by his side was grabbing his arm and crying. Okay.

Finn turned around, a huge grin across his face and raising his arm up to show the ‘Welcome to Cleveland, Ohio’ sign. “Welcome home dude!”

Kurt grinned back as they reached his parents and Burt and Carole hugged him, Blaine and Finn moving round for a big family hug.

Okay. Yeah. This he could do.

"Kurt." He heard the choked voice of his father and the tears seeping through his shirt.

He let his own tears come and choked back. "I'm home, Dad. I'm home."