The next few weeks were spent texting, skype-ing and tweeting each other. The tweets were casual, exes – friends – that supported each other but in the skype-ing and texts they could be themselves, indulging in the heady, intoxicated bliss of this thing fluttering between them. They hung out whenever possible and talked into the small hours then slept, or made love. Their publicists and managers became best friends and Kurt and Blaine would laugh over the idea of them sitting somewhere talking about them. They lived in a bubble, like no-one could penetrate the new little world they were setting up where everything was perfect and new and just them but they knew they were living on borrowed time. The media begged for more on the picture that had found its way to TMZ but not much further. Blaine would be off soon too, promoting his album. Kurt would be doing the same for his new line and store and the interviews that went along with both would test the bonds of the renewed love and the quiet they were weaving into it before everyone knew.

Hey, lunch @ mine? – B

Again? I don't think my libido can cope. – K

Liar and I'm not cooking Italian – B

Oh? – K

I think it's French – B

I can speak French! – K

Hahaha yeah I remember. Geez, you're insatiable – B

Didn't hear you complaining ;-) – K

What happened to the blushing 'fingertips is as sexy as it gets'? How did we go along with all those sweet duets and cuddles without screwing each other? - B

As I remember it, the minute we made love the first time that was over, we did it everywhere. – K

My little sexual deviant – B

Says the 16 year old virgin singing about sex toys in Gap. – K

:-O you still remember that??? – B

I remember everything. – K

That is actually quite terrifying – B

See you tomorrow baby. – K

See you tomorrow love – B

"So when are you going on tour?" Kurt asks around a piece of chicken and Blaine scrunches his nose at him.

"When did your manners change? I'm going for a month on each coast and I've got some dates, like in Georgia, Michigan, Texas those take a few more weeks so three months all together and in a couple of weeks." He replies and spears a piece of chicken, smiling. He loves touring, possibly even more than the intimate little shows. Seeing that his music is loved, not just at home but far across the country he loves and possibly, he hopes, further.

Kurt nods and pointedly swallows and clears his throat before replying, drawing a laugh from Blaine. "Do you think you'll be going anywhere near Lima or DC?"

Blaine thinks and looks at him curiously. "Uhh I have a show in Columbus and one in Richmond. Why?"

"Just curious. You know my dad's out in DC now and Lima; well I don't know how often you go back there or Bellefontaine." Kurt answers.

Blaine sighs. "Baby, I don't go back to there or Lima. I left them behind when I applied for college and the second school was done I never saw them again."

Kurt's eyes widen. Sure he hated Lima too and he's only been back once, having no reason after his parents moved but he'd never seen such vehement hate for the places they'd once dreamed of leaving before. "Was it really that bad Blaine?" He asks.

Blaine looks around with his eyes at his kitchen then back at Kurt. "Yes. It was, Kurt. Bellefontaine reminded me of my parents who stopped giving a damn since I was young and Lima reminded me of you and what I'd lost and how everyone turned on me since they found out about me cheating."

"They really turned on you?"

"Yeah, basically. I was this evil guy who'd broken your heart and, yeah what I did was terrible and stupid but I didn't deserve that. I haven't spoken to anyone since school." The black-haired man pushed his plate aside as he remembered all those years ago and looked into his soul mate's eyes as he talked.

"Wow," Kurt replies and pushes his plate away too. "Convenient, they all forget that they cheated too. I don't know much about the ones who joined but Artie? Sam? Tina? Actually they all cheated, on each other too. That's hilarious. I'm sorry that happened Blaine."

Blaine shakes his head and smiles. "It doesn't matter. I'm where I am and have my soul mate back."

"Yeah you do." Kurt whoops and they kiss for a few seconds.

"So," Blaine says, changing the subject. "How is your dad? Finn told me about his cancer. Well, shouted it actually, asking what else could be done to you."

Kurt takes a drink of his water and clears his throat. "He's fine. He's been cancer-free since about Nationals of your senior year. He lives in DC now, working hard. He helped Prop 8 get overturned back then."

Blaine looks at him and watches his boyfriend's eyes widen and his face flush at his own words. Blaine smirks and lets the images he'd once thrown into a locked box at the back of his mind flow through his head. Their wedding, black tuxes, silver rings, a honeymoon and a long life together. "Do you think we would?" He asks, biting his lip nervously.

"Someday," Kurt shrugs. "I always thought we would, we even talked about it when we were together and there's no reason why we wouldn't in the future."

"Really?" Blaine asks, excited. He can't help the wide grin that blooms across his face and Kurt grins back. He offers his hand and Kurt slides his hand into Blaine's like they had a million times before in a place a thousand miles away, years ago.

Blaine walks down the road to Kurt's design house and slips in the back. He waves at Mina, Kurt's assistant, who blushes. The girl is still surprised and awed by the sight of him wandering around the workspace; then presses a kiss to Kurt's cheek as he draws. He picks up a sheet of paper and smiles at the lookalike model sporting an outfit a lot like something he'd have worn as a teen. "Wow I haven't worn a bowtie in years," He laughs and looks at Mina who smiles back. Kurt grunts and Blaine lays it back down to pick up another. This time he snorts and looks at the back of his boyfriend's bowed head. "Red and blue? Yearning for our Dalton days?"

"A simpler time." Kurt says wistfully.

Blaine smiles. "A time of duets and obliviousness." He says, just as wistfully.

"Of holding hands and Gap." Kurt sniggers.

"Oh my God will you stop?" Blaine laughs and grabs Kurt's hand, spinning him into a hug and trying to tickle him. Kurt shrieks and tickles back, sending Mina giggling into the hallway as the boys start an all-out tickle war while shooting embarrassing anecdotes as they chased each other.

Blaine goes off on tour and they spend their time texting, tweeting, calling each other and skype-ing when they have a moment free. It's a whirlwind of pride and passion, compromise and adoration and they love every second of it. It brings them closer together but also drives them towards their goal and the ever-present obstacle that itches and grates at both of them: Telling the world.

"You are my world Kurt, I love you so much and I want the world to know but I just want some time for it to ourselves before it becomes the world's business."

"I understand Blaine but we can't keep everyone guessing. Someday someone's going to see us and someone else will make a connection and sell the story. Wouldn't it be better coming from us?"

"Ok, someone could sell the story of our teenage romance, yeah it would be best coming from us but Kurt-"

"Blaine I'm going to be blunt."

"What?"

"You cheated. Most of McKinley knew what happened, most of our friends from Dalton knew, Sebastian and that nutcase knew. You've crafted this reputation and this new man out of what happened. If we let someone get there before us, you could be ruined. You know what fans think of liars and cheats here and they will rip you apart. I don't want either of us dragged through the mud and selfishly, they dislike people who take back cheats too, who knows how people will react."

"Oh my gosh. We've got to come out."

"Blaine."

"Kurt you know I never, y'know."

"What?"

"I never fucked him, or him to me."

"What?!"

"Kurt don't get angry, it was still cheating."

"Tell me what you did."

"I was exchanging messages with him; I went over to his house. I knew what he wanted. We kissed, made out, he came and I freaked out and ran."

"You...I can't be here."

"Kurt-"

"No, don't follow me."

"Kurt what's wrong? This was years ago. I thought we were past this."

"You let me think, for seven years, that you had slept with someone else."

"Kurt, no, I-"

"Was with someone. Your words, Blaine."

"What? Shit I guess I said that, I'm sorry I was so messed up and I did cheat but Kurt don't leave!"

"Don't call me for a few days. I need to think about the last seven years you made me think you'd fucked someone!"

"Kurt, no baby please!"

"Goodbye Blaine."

"NO! Kurt no please! PLEASE!"

Blaine walked down the road and noticed the familiar shop frontage and sighed. Fate laughing at him again.

"Hey," A soft voice called and he turned to look at Mercedes. "Boy you look like shit."

Blaine choked on a laugh and smiled at her. Blunt as a brick as ever. "Thanks Mercedes, just what I wanted to hear."

She smiled back and looped her arm through his. "If it helps your boy's not looking any better."

"It doesn't," He sighed. "He's angry with me again. He told me not to contact him over something that happened seven years ago. I know I screwed up but he's angry I didn't do it. I don't get it."

Mercedes smiled at him understandingly and spoke quietly. "You know, I've known Kurt a long time, longer than you, longer than most. He's always been very proud, very strong cos, well he's had to be. When you two broke up it destroyed him. He trusted you, he'd never trusted anyone like he trusted you and let's face it you were pretty stupid. He spent seven years forgetting you and the life you were supposed to have. The college romance, the apartments together, the Christmas proposal, the wedding at 21, the arguments, the happiness. All that went away and all he had was this life on his own. He had boyfriends but no-one measured up. A lot like you, he felt blessed that he'd had it once and didn't need it again. One thing he held onto though, was that you gave a piece of yourself to someone else in the act you know he held sacred above anything else. Knowing that you didn't and only did the things you did, changed everything because Blaine, if he'd have known back then; he would've forgiven you."

"So he's having a breakdown over the idea that he could've had the last seven years with me. I'm so stupid. I've got to talk to him."

"Hold your horses there boy wonder. He's not in the mood to talk to you right now. Let him think it through and he'll come back, you know him."

"Ok, thanks Mercedes."

"Welcome as ever handsome."

"Hey."

Blaine looked up in shock. "Hey," He whispered back and locked his guitar case before walking over to Kurt. "You're a sight for sore eyes."

"You know, I could have forgiven you if I knew."

"I know, Mercedes told me but I've been thinking. If I'd told you, if we'd talked and stayed together, things could've been very different. I like who I am now. I've learned from the past. Same with you. Teenage me loved teenage you but I, as a person, love you as the person you are."

A blush washed over Kurt's cheeks and Blaine smiles when he realised Kurt had been thinking the same thing. "That's why we're soul mates."

"Mhm, pretty much in each other's brains."

"Yours is scary."

"Well yours is very sparkly so I think we're tied."

"Didn't Coach Sue say I pooped glitter once?"

"Rainbow glitter."

"Oh yeah."

"Are you coming home?"

"Yeah. I have the answers I need."

"And those are?"

"Things are perfect as they are."

"Just checking."

Blaine noticed something was off as soon as they got back together. When he wasn't living with Kurt and wasn't aware of his schedule it was easy not to know but he was practically living at Kurt's now and had everything on the sheets of paper around the house and he noticed. Kurt would vanish for an hour or two every few days, sometimes in the morning before he even had to be at the design house and sometimes he'd be home late, his nose and cheeks a little red and Blaine would shrug it off as Kurt being busy, at first. The black-haired man lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, his mind whirring with all the possibilities and fears and blinked back a few tears at the idea of some. He looked over at Kurt's side of the bed and placed his hand on the slight dent. It was still warm then the door slammed downstairs. Blaine jumped out of bed and threw his clothes on, racing after to follow his boyfriend; guilt tapping at the edges of his mind for following him but the fears drove him onto the road, tailing his lover.

They drove for a few miles, out of LA, past the studios and up a white driveway. Blaine's breath caught in his throat at the words on the white stone. He watched Kurt drive up and park, obviously lost enough in his own world that he didn't notice Blaine slowly following him. The wind whipped around the younger man as he walked towards his love; darkly amused that even in a place like LA with its heat, a place like this could still be windswept and slightly cold, like the air wasn't allowed to be warm over the stones.

He stepped up behind the older man and looked down, his heart tearing apart for his soul mate and the friend he'd known. "When did he die?" He asked, voice quiet.

Kurt sniffed and sighed, leaning into Blaine as he wrapped an arm around his waist. "It was a few years ago. He'd come here to try again, to do what he'd dreamed of, to change lives and be a success."

"What happened?"

"He fell asleep Blaine. One day he was here, alive and happy talking about what he was doing and what he'd seen then he was...no-one really told us why. It could have been anything but dad said he just fell asleep. I didn't want to know anything else."

"He was a good man."

"He was. He wanted me to forgive you, you know." Kurt sniffed and looked at Blaine, his lips twitching in a sad smile.

Blaine chuckled through his own tears. "He always knew what was right. The way he looked at me when he asked me why I did it, was like I'd ripped his heart out, not just yours. Maybe I did. You were his brother and we were so in love, when I hurt you I hurt the faith he had in love as much as Rachel had to him."

Kurt stared at him for a few seconds then nuzzled into his neck, breathing him in and mumbled. "Well I hope he's happy we are back together, even if he isn't here to see it."

Blaine grasped Kurt's chin and turned his head so they were looking into each other's eyes. "Never doubt he can see it. He's proud of you Kurt, you've made a beautiful life, and you two changed each other."

Kurt nodded and accepted Blaine's hand and let his younger boyfriend pull him away, walking back to their respective cars. He spared one more glance back at the rectangle of stone set into the ground and sighed. "I hope so."

Blaine stood on stage and looked out into the audience, his eyes connecting with glasz and spoke into the microphone. "This is a song from a few years ago by Leona Lewis for a friend and the people he left behind."

I just can't believe you're gone
Still waiting for morning to come
Wanna see if the sun will rise even without you by my side
When we have so much in store tell me what is it I'm reaching for
When we're through building memories I'll hold yesterday in my heart
In my heart

They can take tomorrow and the plans we made
They can take the music that we never played
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away
But they can never have yesterday
They can take the future that we'll never know
They can take the places that we said we would go
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away
But they can never have yesterday

You always used to say I should be thankful for every day
Heaven knows what the future holds or at least how the story goes
(But I never believed them till now)
I know I'll see you again I'm sure no it's not selfish to ask for more
One more night one more day
One more smile on your face but they can't take yesterday

I thought our days would last forever
(But it wasn't our destiny)
'Cause in my mind we had so much time
But I was so wrong
Now I can believe that

I can still find the strength in the moments we made
I'm looking back on yesterday

All the broken dreams take everything
But they can never have yesterday