Rachel stood in front of her bathroom mirror, taking in the girl from Lima come good. She hadn’t changed that much since college. She was surer of herself, more determined, more based in the reality of this world, not the one she’d created in her bedroom at home. It was probably what had propelled her through college and into being one of the most sought after stars on Broadway, that and Kurt by her side. Kurt.

She watched her big brown eyes fill with tears and a solitary tear slip down her face. Kurt, her Kurt could be gone soon. How could she carry on without him, how could anyone? Her heart was cracking in her chest. Never had she felt so much pain and loss. Kurt was dying and the world was falling apart around them. Blaine had swung back into their lives and it seemed like the second he’d stepped back into the picture that the balance was thrown off and cracks formed in the pretty show she, Kurt and Santana had created. She couldn’t blame him though. Kurt’s heart had always been a problem. Too big, too easy to fall, either in love or to shatter like glass. Now it was failing him like his father’s, like his mother’s and one day they’d be left behind, wondering how anything could be good again.

It was unfair to blame Blaine. He loved Kurt, he deserved Kurt, and he needed Kurt. Suddenly her eyes lit up. She knew how to fix this.

Rachel ran into her bedroom and grabbed her phone, speed dialling Santana.

“So let me get this straight, you called me up, the day before we open this travesty of a show, get me out of bed on our one late day for what? To get Gel-for-brains and the Ice prince of Broadway back together? Because unless you have some really great plan involving lots of glitter and a really, really long speech about some song and dance thing that happened back in high school I’m pretty sure that ship has sailed.” Santana sniped, sipping her coffee as she and Rachel walked down the street.

Rachel sighed and smiled fondly at Santana, grasping her own coffee and giggling before replying. “No. Whatever has happened Kurt still believes in love and destiny and all the good messages in Moulin Rouge and the things we all believed in in high school. It’s his heart that’s failing him, not his soul and his soul is tied to Blaine’s like a songbird, he can’t help but spread his wings and sing. He loves Blaine and we’re going to make sure they both know it.”

Santana looked at her with wide eyes, swallowing the forming lump in her throat she’d deny if anyone knew. “Oh god, you’re not going to sing are you?”

Rachel giggled and the girls grinned at each other, walking down the street, thinking of all the ways they could get their boys back together.

Finn stood at Kurt’s front door, raking his hands through his hair. He’d been walking around all night thinking about what he’d found in the bathroom. He hadn’t been able to face Blaine and not blurt out what he knew so he’d stayed in a hotel near Kurt’s apartment and stared out of the window, trying to figure his brother out. All of that had led him here, to Kurt’s front door early in the morning, ready to have it out with Kurt and find out why he hadn’t said anything and why he’d left Blaine.

He knocked on the door and listened. The sounds of Kurt moving around inside filtered out to him, a few swears followed a bang as Finn assumed he must’ve walked into something on the way to the door. Finally it opened and all of the words swimming in Finn’s mind briefly vanished as he took in the other man.

Kurt looked exhausted, he was so pale, thin and tired-looking. He was wearing a simple blue top and sweats, nothing like Kurt. His mouth dropped open as he looked up at his brother in the doorway.

“Finn?” Kurt asked, stunned.

Finn suddenly remembered what he was here for and tore his eyes away from his brother, behind him the flat was as tidy as it was when he’d left and cringed at the tell-tale pill bottle sat on the countertop. “We need to talk.” He grunted and stepped past Kurt, walking into the apartment and waiting for Kurt to close the door and follow.

“What are you doing here Finn?” Kurt asked, his eyes following Finn’s to the pill bottle and cringing himself.

Finn stared at Kurt, deciding not to reveal anything about Blaine’s involvement in his being here. “I’m here to see my brother’s opening night. What’s going on Kurt?”

Kurt swallowed loudly and made towards the kitchen to hide the pill bottle but Finn blocked his way. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Finn. Now I’m really glad you came to see the show but I’m tired and I’ve got to be at the theatre soon, can I just-“

“What? Hide the pill bottle? Hide the other ones in your bathroom? Hide the piece of paper about heart problems? You know what I’m talking about Kurt! I’m your brother, talk to me!” Finn shouted, losing his temper and gesturing towards the kitchen and bathroom.

Kurt took a step back, stunned and angry. “What do you know about the things in my bathroom? Finn you can’t break into my apartment! I’m not talking about this!” Kurt turned to walk away but Finn gripped his arm. The shorter man turned, ready to tear out of his grasp and throw him out but the helpless look on his face stopped him short.

“I have a key, Kurt. Come on, talk to me. I’m your brother.” Finn pleaded.

Kurt sighed and walked over to the couch, Finn still gripping his arm. They sat down and Kurt took a deep breath and started. “You remember my mom died from heart problems, right?” Kurt looks as Finn and the other man nods so he carries on. “Well for a while I’ve been feeling sick, I didn’t know at first but I was getting dizzy and short of breath so I went to the doctor and he told me I have genetic heart problems. With my mom and dad’s heart issues I had a really high chance of having problems myself. I guess it took this show to bring them up. Finn, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you but I didn’t want to tell anyone. How do you tell people you love you might die? I don’t want to die Finn, I don’t” Kurt dissolved into tears and Finn wrapped his arms around him, holding him close and letting his tears seep into his shirt, his heart breaking for his brother.

Soon Kurt’s tears subsided and he leant away from Finn, smiling awkwardly at him. Finn took a breath and looked at him, next question time. “So, what’s going on with Blaine, man?”

Kurt looked at Finn incredulously then laughed. “I should have known he’d be involved. I can’t be with him, Finn. I love him but he doesn’t know about this and it’s such a mess. He got fired because I made a stupid promise to Christophe. He’s better off forgetting about me.” He looked down and blinked away the tears in his eyes.

Finn sighed and gripped his chin and turned his head to look at him. “He deserves to know Kurt. He deserves you. He loves you so much, dude. He’s a mess without you. I won’t tell him, but you need to. Don’t give up on him again, you two are so awesome together.”

Kurt laughed and hugged Finn, happy his brother would always be there for him. “You’ve never changed Finn. Thank you.”

They talked for a while longer, about Lima and their parents and how things were going for both of them before Kurt had to leave for the theatre. Finn left and walked back to Blaine’s apartment, a heavy weight lifted off his mind, even if the dread of losing Kurt still curled in his gut.

Kurt walked into the theatre to chaos. The cast were arguing with each other, the musicians were arguing with each other and the new pianist looked like he was about to freak out. “What’s going on?” He asked one of the others and she shrugged, pointing at Santana and Rachel who were standing in the middle of it all.

Kurt walked up and stood in front of Rachel whose smug smile faded a little. “What have you done?” He asked.

Santana spoke up. “We told everyone the truth about Christophe.” She says simply and at that moment Christophe walks onstage.

“What’s going on?” He shouts and everyone turns and stares at him. “Why are you all fighting? Get back to work!”

He starts to leave but Santana shouts.  “We know.”

Christophe turns and looks at her, his eyebrow raised. “What do you know?”

“About you making Kurt promise to stay away from Blaine, about you firing Blaine, about all the underhand tactics you’ve been making.” Rachel says and the way Christophe’s mouth drops makes Kurt wonder if there are other things the man has done, things he doesn’t know about.

Christophe scoffs and shouts. “Get back to work!”

“No.” One of the dancers says, and then others join in, standing their ground.

“They don’t want to work for you, Christophe. Let’s go.” Santana says and Christophe is forced to watch in horror as the cast, musicians and crew walk out of the theatre. He locks eyes with Kurt as he follows, Kurt mouthing the words ‘you’re done’ at him.

Will strode into the theatre’s backstage area and into Christophe’s office without even a knock. The other man glanced up at the intrusion and his eyebrow rose. What was Will Schuester doing here?

“Christophe we need to talk.” The younger man said and Christophe looked at him properly. He was wearing a suit, looking stern and as cold as Kurt had been acting recently. Something sparked in the back of his mind about Kurt, Rachel and Santana’s high school days but he didn’t think too much on it as he stared down the angry man in front of him.

Christophe scoffed. “And what do I owe the pleasure of a meeting with the great Will Schuester to? What do you think we need to talk about?”

“About the way you’re running this show like some domain. You can’t force two people apart and you can’t fire pianists because they fall in love with the main star.” Will said, anger coursing through him.

Christophe’s eyes widened and his mind clicked. Oh. Will Schuester, the same Will Schuester that taught at McKinley High in Lima where Kurt, Santana, Rachel and Blaine had gone. That damn Blaine had to be behind this. “I can do what I like, Will. I’m the director here, not you. What are you going to do about it? You can’t fire me.”

Will smirked back at him, his eyes narrowed. “Oh not me.”

Christophe’s eyes filled with horror as Mack Danielson’s voice rang out before he stepped into the room, his green eyes blazing. “Christophe what the hell is going on with my show? I put you in charge but you’re running the show into the ground.”

Christophe stood up so quickly his chair almost turned over. He glared at Will as he sniggered quietly and held up his hands in defence. “No, no I don’t know what he’s told you but the show’s going-“

“You cast have walked out,” Mack cut him off, staring at him with a deadpan expression. “What’s this about firing the pianist because he was dating the lead?”

Christophe gasped and flailed a little under Mack’s intense glare and hurriedly spoke. “They were just fucking! It was ruining the show! Kurt promised he wouldn’t date him but he did so I fired that little shit but he got them all against me and they were boyfriends in high school and Will was their teacher and-“

“You’re babbling,” Mack interrupted and sighed. “Just get out Christophe. You’re fired. I hope you know you’ll never have another job on Broadway, enjoy unemployment.”

Christophe blinked and looked between the men, processing the information. His shoulders slumped and he closed his eyes. He’d screwed up everything. He started to leave, collecting up his things under the watchful eye of Will and Mack, shook their hands and walked out.

“Oh by the way Christophe,” Mack said and put a hand on Christophe’s shoulder as he passed through the doorway. “Kurt Hummel is the best thing to happen to Broadway in decades. If any of this gets into the media, I will not hesitate to hang you out to dry and I’ll do it in front of the world. Have a good life.”

Christophe nods and leaves, walking through the theatre, unsurprised to see the cast, minus the leads, standing there watching.

In the office Mack claps his hands together and looks at Will, saying “Well, let’s get this show on the road.”