“Hey Kurt!” Burt’s cheery voice rang through the phone, much like it had weeks ago but Kurt knew things were different now and hoped, for the better. “How’s my favourite biological son?”

Kurt burst out laughing. Only his father would have to qualify with the biological bit, having a step son and two de facto adopted sons who all would run over each other to shout their own corner of Burt’s heart if he didn’t. “I’m great thanks dad, things are going well. The apartment’s amazing and Blaine and my therapy’s going well. Work’s going well, busy as always.”

Burt chuckles through the phone and Kurt smiles, feeling warm at the sound. “That’s great Kurt, so, when are you guys coming to see us? It’s been so long since New Year’s.” Burt asks; a question he’s asked a hundred times but today Kurt has an answer for him.

“Actually,” Kurt says, glancing over at Blaine who grinned back. “We’ve got a week and a half free next week if you really want to see us.” He says teasingly, watching as Blaine doubles over in silent laughter.

Burt whoops over the phone line and hollers to his wife and step-son that Kurt and Blaine are coming home. “Just let us know where and when and we’ll meet you. I can’t wait to see you, bud, it’s been too long.”

Kurt smiles and motions Blaine over, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend’s waist before he replies. “I know dad. See you soon, love you.”

“Love you too Kurt, and Blaine. Tell him too.” Burt rasps through the phone.

“Love you too Burt!” Blaine calls when Kurt raises the phone to him and Burt’s laughter rings across the apartment. The phone clicks and Kurt presses end. The two men stare at each other than walk into their bedroom, love and want thrumming through them.

The week passes quickly with work, therapy, Blaine recording his demo and uploading videos to YouTube and spending time together. The night before their flight to Ohio they’re lying on the sofa watching Aladdin and singing along to the songs when Blaine rolls over in Kurt’s arms and stares at him. Kurt looks down at him, amused and raises an eyebrow. Blaine smiles and runs his finger over Kurt’s arm. “I’ve been thinking about the future. You know, when you’re a famous designer and I’m a famous singer we’ll be this megastar couple.” He says quietly.

Kurt laughs and leans down to kiss Blaine softly. “We will, baby but I think you’re going to be the best dressed pop star ever.” He says back, smiling as Blaine’s eyes light up.

“Bowties and skinny jeans. Awesome.” He giggles and Kurt smiles back. Since the attack Blaine’s been sticking to t-shirts and open collars, no closed collars or bowties. It shows the real Blaine and how far he’s come and wants to go if he’s planning his attire to include the neckwear he loved. He’s so lost in thought that he barely hears Blaine’s next comment. “-hange my name.”

“What, baby?”

Blaine gives him an amused took and repeats himself. “I’m going to legally change my name.”

“Before we get married?” Kurt asks.

Blaine nods thoughtfully, turning in to Kurt’s chest a little more. “I don’t want anyone to start calling me Mr Anderson when I release my demo. My YouTube’s already under Blaine Hummel. I don’t want to be famous and be Blaine Anderson.”

Kurt sighed. “You know, that might take a while baby. I know we haven’t talked about it but we know it’s going to happen. Why don’t we just move up the date and we can do it legally then you’ll be famous, married to me and be Blaine Hummel.”

Blaine sat up and looked at Kurt with huge eyes. “Are…are you proposing?”

“Blaine.” Kurt gasped. He didn’t get any further when Blaine jumped off of the sofa and ran into their bedroom then ran back with a small box, turning down the lights on the way until the room is washed in dark with their star lights in the ceiling and lamps the only light in the room.

Blaine smiled and knelt in front of the sofa as Kurt sat up. He opened the box and held it up to Kurt, watching as tears filled his boyfriend’s beautiful eyes. “I wanted to be the one to do this. I bought these a while ago. I love you so much. Since the day we met you’ve made me so happy and kept me safe and loved. You’re the most precious thing in the world to me. You’ve given me life, a home, a family, love and I’d do anything for you. Please make my life complete. Kurt Hummel will you marry me?”

Kurt grinned, tears rolling down his face as he took Blaine’s hand and pulled him up and into a deep kiss. When they separated he whispered. “Yes Blaine Hummel, I will marry you.”

Kurt and Blaine would have the same dream that night. A lone soulful voice singing in an empty room. As the voice got stronger the room filled and as the song ended, the crowd gave a standing ovation to hazel eyes.

Blaine sat quietly in the backseat next to Kurt, both watching the scenery as they drove through Lima, Burt in the front seat offering news and small talk randomly. Suddenly the loose grip Blaine had on Kurt’s hand turned painful and Kurt looked out of Blaine’s window to see what had affected him. A small whimper made its way out of Blaine’s throat and Kurt understood. They were coming up to McKinley. “Do you want to go in there sweetie?” Kurt asked and the grip immediately loosened. Blaine nodded and Kurt tapped out a quick text to Finn. It was nearly Glee club time and their friends would be the only ones in the school.

“Dad?” Kurt called. “Can you drop us off please? I’ll get Finn to drive us back.”

“Ok. Blaine, you ok kid?” Burt answered.

“I want to see them.” Blaine muttered. Kurt and Burt shared a meaningful look in the rear view mirror.

Mr Schue sat in the edge of the piano, literally thrumming with excitement as the kids walked in. Finn had shown him his phone a few minutes ago and was now at the door waiting on their guests. He’d kept up with Kurt and Blaine through Kurt, Finn and Burt. He knew how they were doing and their lives in Los Angeles. His heart went out to both of them and he was so proud of how far they’d come. The years he’d known Kurt and then Blaine and the couple they made he’d been inspired by them, looked to them silently as a beacon of what should be. He’d never hidden from Kurt how much he cared about him and how Kurt made him proud to know him but he doubted either young man knew how seeing them together made Will Schuester feel. He’d been worried the time in the past when Blaine and Kurt had almost broken up and terrified when he heard about the explosion weeks ago, he’d even phoned Kurt and offered him any help and counselling he needed, just to be told they’d work it out which made him smile. They always did.

He grinned at the teenagers watching him expectantly and hopped off of the piano, hearing the faint footsteps down the hallway. “Before we talk about the theme for this week I have an extra special surprise for you all.”

Finn walked in a second later and their attention shifted to him. “So are you all ready?” He asked and watched as some just glanced at each other warily and the others nodded eagerly. “Come in guys.” Finn called and He grinned as Kurt and Blaine walked in and the teenagers screamed.

Kurt tugged Blaine into the room further, the deafening sound of their friend’s happiness startling the black haired teen for a second. Sam and Brittany were up first, Sam wrapping his arms around Blaine’s waist and hugging him tightly. Brittany engulfed Kurt in a hug and he hugged her back, glancing over to see Blaine’s arms wrap around Sam. When they let go the others came up to hug them, all hugging Blaine around the waist and Kurt either around the neck or waist.

Mr Schue watched Blaine and remembered the day he’d met the curly-haired singer. He’d watched the teenager sing ‘It’s Not Unusual’ to Kurt and the New Directions then welcomed him when Kurt had brought him to join. Blaine right now was looking around the room with the same look of excitement and awe as he had that day but today there’d be no introductions, no misplaced pep talk. Finn was looking at Blaine with brotherly love and protection, not thinly veiled anger and jealousy.

Kurt walked over as he looked and stood by his side.

“Sometimes I forget, but looking at you today, I can see how much you’ve both grown.” Mr Schue said, smiling as Blaine sat down on one of the chairs and grinned at him.

Kurt nodded and sighed happily. “You can’t look at him today and see the boy you saw a year and a half ago, or even a few months ago. He has bad days and moments where he’ll just fade out but he’s happier. He’s more the man I saw underneath the mask, who appeared on weekends and vacations and times when it was just us and he didn’t have to fit into a place. That man sitting there laughing at us is Blaine as he should be, as one day when we’re both better, he’ll show the world.” Kurt looked at him and smiled and Mr Schue smiled back and carried on smiling as Kurt went and sat next to Blaine, the two boyfriends scooting their chairs together before Sugar let out a huge, overdramatic gasp.

“Oh my gosh! What is that?!” The petite girl screeched and the whole room shifted to look from the men themselves, suddenly blushing, to their hands.

Kurt looked down and then at her, a ‘bitch, please’ look on his face. “It’s an engagement ring Sugar.” He deadpanned as the room erupted in whoops and congratulations.

Blaine looked around, a wide grin stretched across his face. When he’d walked up to the front doors of the school he’d wondered if he’d feel the way he did when he was last here; claustrophobic, like crying, screaming and running away. He’d stepped through the doors and felt none of the pain and desolation he’d felt those months ago. Kurt’s hand was warm in his, the band around his finger a little cool on his skin. He remembered a time, years ago when Kurt had shown him around the school back when he was a Warbler and their romance was new between them, filled with coffee dates, touches of fingertips and washes of red over cheeks when one of them was caught staring for just a little too long, a little too much. The halls here held so many memories. Memories of quiet voices and confrontations, running steps and tearful determination, laughter and gasps of happiness, easy chatting and slams of lockers, revelations of desire and loss of innocence, whispers of promise and love eternal, tears of anger and loss of way, words of reuniting and advice, phone calls and conversations locked away in their minds, echoing along the hallway like their steps. Kurt smiled beside him and Blaine knew what was different. He was strong, happy, healing and full of the many things and feelings he and his soul mate had shared in this place and outside in the real world. It felt like his lungs were bigger, filled with more air and his heart was beating so fast it would fly out of his throat and soar around the room.

He looked around the room as his friends cheered around them and smiled. He couldn’t see himself here anymore, walking the halls, going to classes. Too much water had passed under the bridge and he wasn’t the person he was at the start of the year. He listened as Kurt told them all about therapy and their issues when they asked and nodded along when he was prompted.

They talked about their own problems, their issues and worries over Nationals and graduation. He stared at the board, white and calling to him. He remembered Mr Schue and Finn writing things up there whether it be their theme for the week or something inspiring to them. In his mind the words appeared across the board and in a haze he stood up and walked over to it, picking up the marker from the piano as he passed, Kurt and the others’ voices silenced by his mind. He uncapped the pen and looked up, writing. When he was done he recapped the pen and turned around, smiling, proud of himself. His friends were all silent, gaping at him. He looked at Kurt and their eyes locked, a proud, impressed smile across his gorgeous fiancé’s face. Kurt stood up and walked over, telling them it was time to go and they’d see them soon. “I love you.” Kurt whispered and took his hand, walking out of the room. Blaine grinned and waved before he looked back at the board one last time, proud. Across the board in his elegant handwriting was, ‘This too shall pass’.