Blaine slipped into his bed, still a bit in awe of the events that had taken down stairs.

After he had peeled himself from the door he shuffled to the kitchen. His dad was sitting at the kitchen counter, some papers spread out in front of him while his mom scrubbed away at the dishes in the sink. Cooper was snooping around in the cupboards, most likely for an after dinner sweet or something similar.

“So who was that boy, Blaine?” His mom asked, turning her head to smile at him.

“Oh, that was Kurt, he’s just my tutor.” He heard a muffled snicker from Cooper, who had successfully found cookies, and Blaine sent him a glare. His dad placed the paper he was holding down and paused for few seconds, as If debating something.

“Is he gay, too?” In that moment it seemed like everything froze. Cooper paused his chewing, the cookie stuffed halfway into his mouth with an eyebrow rose, while his mom stopped washing the plate she was holding.

The way his dad had worded it was different. His dad had never really acknowledged or didn’t seem to want to acknowledge that Blaine was gay, and when he did he usually called it a phase.

“Uh, yeah. He is.” Blaine stated truthfully, holding his breath apprehensively.  His father nodded a bit, and after another hesitant pause, said:

“Well, that’s good then, I suppose- you having someone else like yourself to talk to.” There was a light plop noise, signifying that the cookie in Cooper’s mouth had promptly fallen to the floor.

“Cooper, you’re going to get crumbs everywhere, and I just swept.” Their mother chastised, though there was a slight smile on her face.

“Really?” Blaine asked quietly, his own mouth hanging a bit agape.

“Look Blaine, I know we may not see eye-to-eye on everything, but I am trying.” He said, and Blaine nodded, suddenly starting to feel very emotional. He cleared his throat and smiled.

“Thank you. And not just for that, but the tutoring thing as well.” And his father actually smiled.

“No matter what you may think, I do care about my boys.” Blaine blinked back tears, and for the first time in years, went around the counter and hugged his father. And suddenly Cooper and his mom were joining in and he felt the air shift into something much more comfortable than it had been. He was actually relaxed.

After that he had bid his family goodnight and went upstairs, texting Kurt an apology and giving him the news about his father’s slight breakthrough. Sighing happily again he had no trouble falling to sleep that night.

He was dreaming. But it wasn’t a nightmare, like the Sadie Hawkins, or the bad memories of having to identify his best friend’s body.

It was like one of those dreams, which were really a memory that had happened. It a night back in his old school, at his old house, and he was hanging out with Alan and his other friend Eric, as they always had.

“Why are we doing this?” Alan had asked, shaking his head as he held a cherry stem between his index finger and his thumb.

“Just because! People say if you can tie a cherry stem into a knot by using your tongue, you’re a good kisser.” Blaine said, rolling his own stem between his fingers. Alan rolled his eyes, yet laughed a bit.

“Well I’m up for it.” Eric added with a grin.

“Alright, on the count of three.”

“One…”

“This is so stupid.”

“Two…”

“Three!”

They all simultaneously put the stems in their mouths and went to work, snorting and laughing at each other’s faces every so often. After a good few minutes both Blaine and Eric pulled theirs out, both successfully tied and Alan just gave up.

“Man, I’m a horrible kisser apparently.” Alan said, frowning.

“Nah, I’m sure you’re a fine kisser, Al” Eric stated, grabbing his bottle of water to take a drink.

“Care to test that theory, Eric?” Blaine jested, laughing when Alan shot him a glare and Eric chocked on his water.

“Haha, you sure are quite the kidder, Blaine.” Alan said with emphasis, sending him another death stare, while Blaine pretended to be innocent. After Eric had stopped coughing he smirked a bit.

“Speaking of kissing, Sadie Hawkins is this Friday, do you guys have dates?” They both stared at him blankly.

“Well, I dunno, some guys could have asked you out.” Eric pointed out, shrugging.

“Nope, nothing. What about you Eric?” Blaine asked, sending not so subtle glances to Alan. Right about now he was probably thinking up different ways to kill and or maim Blaine, but he would be thanking him later if he hooked the two up. Eric had never really stated which way he swung.

 “You know that girl, Jessica Swanson from my home room. She’s pretty hot, and nice, and she totally asked me.” He announced, grinning

“Oh, well that’s great.” Blaine said, patting him on the back and smiling. He looked over to Alan again and silently apologized by giving him a smile sad smile. Alan simply shook his head and looked down, swallowing hard.

“That’s great news; I bet you guys will have a lot of fun.” He said, looking back up and putting on a smile for Eric. Blaine felt so devastated for Alan.  Unrequited love sucked.

And then he had an idea. It wasn’t an idea to make Eric jealous or anything, it was just to lift Alan’s sprits.

“I think you and me should go together Alan, as friends.” Blaine stated, smiling. Alan looked up, arching a brow.

“What?”

“Well we are the only two out gay kids, it kinda makes since ya’know?”

“Yeah, that’s an awesome idea.” Eric chimed. Alan paused for a second, thinking it over.

“…Fine. But be warned, my mom will want tons of pictures.” Blaine laughed.

The dream suddenly shifted and it was as if he was standing in an endless sea of light.

And suddenly, Alan was there. And he looked fine, not scared and bruised and beat up like he did. His green eyes were as bright as ever, his brown hair still lying flat against his head, stopping a few inches before his shoulders, and he still had that happy smile on his face, just like when they were at Sadie Hawkins.

Blaine inhaled sharply, suddenly feeling a mixture of emotions, like guilt and sadness and anger and he tried to talk around the lump in his throat, and blinked back his tears, but Alan just shushed him.

“There was nothing you could have done, Blaine, you know that.” He said sternly, and God, even his voice sounded the same.

“I still feel responsible. I asked you to go, remember?” Blaine chocked out.

“It was still one of the greatest nights of my life, even if I didn’t go with Eric.” Alan reasoned, smile still in place.

“But really, Blaine, how have you been?” Alan asked, changing the subject before Blaine got even more upset.

“I’m…good. Yeah, I’m actually good for once. I’m meeting some new friends, and my dad’s starting to be a little more excepting of me.” Blaine said, smiling happily.

“I’m so glad to hear it, Blaine, I really am.” Alan smiled even bigger, obviously very proud and Blaine blushed a bit, feeling sheepish. There was a small silence, where Blaine took in Alan’s prescience more.

“Um, how is my mom doing?” Alan asked suddenly, playing with his hands in his lap. His mom, Samantha, had been on Blaine’s  friend’s list on Facebook, as well as on his mother’s, too. Alan’s mom had taken it pretty hard, obviously. First from getting a divorce some years ago and then the Dance.

“I haven’t seen her in a long time, but on Facebook it did mention something about having a date, soon.” Blaine said, trying to remember as much as he could. Alan grinned.

“That’s good. It’d keep her mind off things. And she really needs a nice man, who is nice and will take care of her and everything, unlike my father.” Blaine nodded and there was silence again.

“Alright, last question.” Alan said, laughing a bit. He bit his lip, staring off into nowhere, “How’s Eric?”

Blaine paused, debating on whether to make something up or not. Alan would see right through it though, because he had a knack knowing when Blaine was lying or not.

“Well, he graduated from school early, on top of being like three grades a head of us back then. We haven’t talked since your fu- uh.” Blaine trailed off, the rest of the words catching in his throat.

“Since my Funeral?” Alan finished, and Blaine nodded.

“And the only other thing I know about him, is that he’s living somewhere around New York with his Fiancé.” Blaine grimaced a bit. “You remember Jessica? From school?”

“Oh, he married his high school sweet-heart? Figures.” He laughed lightly, but it was obvious he was hurting, Too many times Blaine had comforted Alan while he cried at night.

“I just wish-“ Alan started, clearing his throat. “That I would have gotten the change to tell him…”

Blaine’s heart ached.

“The next time I see him, I can tell him if you want.” Blaine said. Alan hesitated. It wasn’t like Eric would find out and be all awkward around Alan, for obvious reasons.

“Thank you.”

“No, I should be thanking you.” Blaine said. “If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have had the strength to carry on or anything. I wanted keep going and make you proud, ya’know.” Alan shook his head, smiling.

“I am proud of you. So, so much. And Kurt is, too.” Blaine’s head shot up a bit at the mention of Kurt’s name.

“Take good care of him, okay? Don’t let your chance slip away.” Blaine nodded, feeling misty-eyed all over again.

“And remember I love you, and I’ll always be with you.” With another smile Alan began fading from view, until he was alone.

Blaine jerked awake suddenly, breathing heavily. He rubbed his face, and wiped the tears he had apparently really cried. It had been a dream, obviously, but it had felt so real. After regulating his breathing he got comfortable again, and he couldn’t help but smile. Even though it had been only a dream, he felt like that was Alan’s way of saying he was doing good in life, and by Kurt, like he was approving of him.

 He turned on his side and bunched his pillow up, falling asleep again with ease. He was so glad he had a Guardian Angel watching after him.