Chapter Five – Final Chapter

The second meeting between Kurt, Blaine and Avery would end up taking place not at the Anderson manor but at Averys luxurious apartment in Westerville. No amount of begging made Avery budge from insisting his findings couldnt be told over the phone. All he ended up saying was whatever hed learned really needed to be said in person. Those werent the most comforting words for the pair to hear and it made them feel very anxious. As they drove off towards their destination there was no hope in pretending everything was fine and dandy.

“Im trying to stay on the positive side, but that is not going so well,” Blaine admitted with a sigh.

“Youre not the one who has to drive us there, so be thankful for that,” Kurt quipped.

The hour long drive out to where the heir to the Andersons resided was almost sheer agony for the young driver and his passenger. Neither knew what to say to pass the time and any attempts to ignore the impending reveal with idle chatter proved futile as well. Eventually Averys directions brought them to the correct address, meaning the wait was almost over.

Averys invited guests were quickly ushered inside by his formidable looking security guard and brought to a room. At first glance there was no sign of Avery, until the boys heard clanking noises and located him at a bar off in the left corner.

“Hi, boys! Thanks for stopping by. Im just fixing us a drink before we get down to things,” Avery said as he waved a martini glass in the air.

Blaine wasnt sure what to be more alarmed about, the fact that Averys saying get down held no sexual innuendos or that he thought theyd need a drink to cope. It seemed Kurt had no desire to remain patient for any longer and Blaine watched his friend storm up to the bar. For a second he feared Kurt was about to knock the glass right out Averys hand but he simply glared at the bartender.

“This is no time to make cocktails! Tell us what you know!” Kurt demanded, throwing his hands up in the air. “Pretty please?” he added desperately.

Avery nodded, though he continued to make a fourth drink and place it on the tray, bringing it over to the table in the middle of the room. “All in good time Kurt -- which is now. Sorry for being so stubborn, but this will be hard enough for me to break to you so I wanted it to be done properly. Have a seat and a drink... youll need both soon enough.”

Kurt was the first to take a seat, even when it wasnt his fate that was on the line. “Is it that bad? Is that why the results are back so quickly? I thought it would take a few more days.”

“Theres a good reason for that, well... more like a bad one...” Avery replied, taking a glass for himself and sipping it lightly.

“Did they find nothing at all then?” Blaine questioned. He couldnt take another dead end.

“No... they found something. Okay, I could keep stalling all day but Id just mess up so Ill cut to the chase here,” Avery began.

Blaine and Kurt sat down huddled together on Averys sofa, clutching their hands together for much needed moral support.

“Thank you,” Blaine said with a weak smile.

Once Avery finished his drink he let out a long breath and when his expression turned serious it was an alarming contrast to his usual wry smile. “The reason the results came back early is because the mysterys solved. The short of it is... things didnt happen the way you two thought. Blaine, you werent sent to the future at all.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean? You do see him right?” Kurt interrupted.

“Kurt, let him finish before asking questions,” Blaine chided.

“The mages I hired figured out what the spell did, more or less. Blaine, you were sort of preserved in some kind of magical subspace, kept out of time, where you didnt age... until Kurts spell brought you back to earth,” Avery finished.

The explanation hardly made much sense and both teens were as confused as they were a moment ago, if not more.

“What does that even mean?” Blaine pressed, needing more information to understand.

“Its just as I said. Blaines spell trapped him somewhere and kept him safely intact,” Avery explained.

“You mean to say Kurt pulled me out of this magical subspace and brought me here?” Blaine questioned.

Avery nodded in confirmation, “Pretty much yeah. Dunno why or how. Maybe Kurt countered the spell to bring you back... if so, then its lucky he did or you could have been trapped there forever. In fact, when I asked the mages how you died, they concluded that the spell failed and failed because it wasnt strong enough,” he explained. “If only they knew...” he added with a wink.

Kurts mind was reeling; hed expected there might be another dead end to deal with or something, not this. There had to be some way to send Blaine back home. They couldnt give up now. “So now what? How else can we look at sending Blaine back to 1903?”

“Basically … you cant. Blaine didnt travel through time. He cast a spell in the past, was preserved and then you brought him back. Not to the future, but to the present day, only Blaine of course hasnt aged, nor has any memories of his suspension. Time travel is still as impossible as it was in Blaines day. Who knows if that will ever change, but I doubt it will in our lifetimes,” Avery explained, speaking softly to remain as sympathetic to Blaines plight as possible.

“So what, thats it then? Blaine has no chance to go home? Hes stranded here?” Kurt said in disbelief.

Avery nodded to Kurt and placed a drink in front of Blaine on the table. “Im afraid so... I doubt its much a consolation right now but... Blaine, youre lucky to be alive at all. Kurt saved you, so maybe this can be your second chance at life?” he offered thoughtfully.

This outcome wasnt anything Blaine wanted to hear. He kept clinging to the hope that hed get home somehow. Now that there was no chance of that happening, Blaine fell oddly quiet and his body went slack. Grief stricken and feeling numb, Blaine slipped out of Kurts embrace and slumped forward on the couch. It served him right not to consider otherwise; nobody could cheat fate like that, not even with the aid of magic. Ignoring the danger was his first mistake, and the second infraction was trying to manipulate his own destiny.

“Hes in shock, its understandable,” Avery said.

Blaine stared at the drink in front of him; he had never been much of a drinker but hed still partaken now and then. Normally he tried to pace himself properly to avoid getting drunk but right now, Blaine thought he could use a bit of a buzz, so he didnt leisurely sip at his drink. Instead, Blaine ended up chugging down the entire glass.

“Uh, you might wanna watch it there Blaine...” Avery warned.

“Youre the one who said I should have a drink,” Blaine countered.

“To help put the edge off, not to get rip-roaring drunk. You cant drink your troubles away... Believe me,” Avery threw back.

Kurt hadnt touched his own drink and he was glad of that now; he was already having a difficult time with how to know what to do for Blaine in this instance. Should he coddle him with empty words of encouragement? What could he even say? It will be okay, Im here... sounded wrong. “Blaine...” Kurt breathed. Then Blaine took hold of Kurts drink and that made Kurt more willing to act. “Blaine, Averys right, you need to be careful...” Kurt said as he tried to take the drink away.

Blaine moved fast enough so Kurt couldnt reach him and ended up spilling some of the drink on his sleeve. Blaine got up from the couch and walked a few steps away, stopping when neither Avery or Kurt came after him. He knew he was acting childish, but it was hard enough not to grab the bottle of vodka on the desk. Blaine took a small drink out of the glass he was still holding and let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair. “I just... cannot deal with this yet, I dont know how... Ive been such a fool.”

“Weve all pulled selfish shit before Blaine, its how you deal with it afterwards that makes the difference,” Avery commented.

Kurt blinked; he was amazed at how that almost sounded philosophical. “How can we help you, Blaine?” he asked.

“Let me have this second drink and experience a quiet evening to let this all sink in. Im in a rather shocked state right now... and Im trying not to shut myself off. I know I cannot run from this but for at least tonight, I want to pretend it isnt happening to me,” he asked.

Kurt heart ached, the vulnerability in Blaine voice was hard for him to hear. Kurt looked over at Avery to get his opinion and the heir merely shrugged. It was was up to Kurt then. “Okay,” he replied softly.

So the three sat down to start their quiet evening and as the night went on Blaine was the only one who ended up drinking. Hed stopped after his second drink and all seemed to being going well but then, Blaines mood started to lighten a bit too much. Either Blaine wasnt a regular enough drinker to know his limits or he had intentionally misled Kurt and Avery. They discovered two new details pertaining to Blaine: he was crafty, and he was a lightweight. Because Blaine was now obviously drunk, not totally wasted but enough that he was going to regret his actions in the morning.

Kurt would have gotten mad at Blaine but he knew it was pointless. At least he seemed to be a happy drunk. Blaine was currently playing at the piano in the room, singing an old tune like he didnt have a care in the world. But his good mood wouldnt stick around forever because Blaine was already slipping. Kurt noticed Blaines regretful looks when he let his guard down; it was only for a second but there were becoming more frequent. Kurt felt so worthless, how could let Blaine to get in such a state? “Did you have to make us drinks?” Kurt hissed at Avery.

The twenty-six-year old gave Kurt a sassy shrug this time. “I thought it would help. I didnt think Blaine would drink enough to get drunk. He totally played us... Im impressed...” he admitted.

“This isnt how I thought Blaine would react...” Kurt began.

“Me either... I thought hed take it way better. I mean... hell get to stay with you now.”

Kurt was in no mood to allow his to feelings take over. That would lead to unnecessary self-loathing, something he couldnt afford to deal with right now. He had Blaine to look after and there would be no send-off where Kurts responsibilities would abruptly end. Romance was the furthest thing from Kurts mind and he didnt have the excuse of drunkenness to act off his rocker either. “I dont know how to make him better...”

Avery never got a chance to reply. Blaine (his song finished) made his way back and flopped down on the couch beside Kurt. Blaine looked cheerful, too cheerful and the smile on his face was obviously forced. “Oh well, I should have known, stupid sod than I am. Like you could cast a spell to find your soulmate! Hah!” he laughed.

“You took a shot, I always thought you were pretty brave to try, specially back then,” Avery admitted.

“Me too,” Kurt added.

Avery's and Kurts kind comments did nothing to bring Blaine around; instead he let out a loud raspberry, never sounding so crude before. “Dont try to coddle me! Ive been acting like an entitled spoiled brat! Not only did the spell not work, I caused my family pain! Who knows what came of Grace? And I let the once famous Anderson family fall to ruin. All thanks to my stupid quest for love and soulmates!”

“Hey! That almost hurt. Do I look ruined to you?” Avery said with mock hurt.

“Its not like anyone in your family were saints, Blaine. You told me how distant they all were and how they didnt try to know the real you. What do you honestly think would have happened if you were a good little boy and married Grace?” Kurt argued, getting fed up with the whole scenario.

“Oh I would have muddled along, most men in my social class rarely married for love. Why should I be any different? I would have gone to magic academy, made a name for myself... had a family of my very own...”

“... and had a wife you couldn't love? Youre too much of a romantic to settle for that Blaine. You wouldnt be truly happy...” Kurt said.

Blaine spun around to point at Kurt much like Cooper did whenever he got worked up or drunk. “How would you know? Dont think that you reading my journal means you have any idea what Im going through! Or how I feel! You dont know a god damn thing!” he snapped.

Blaines outburst stung and Kurts face scrunched up from his attempts to fight back tears. Not even the cruellest bully had brought on this much pain. Kurt needed a momentary escape, getting up from the couch and away from Blaine. “I need to call my dad...” he stuttered, ignoring Blaine and looking at Avery. “I promised Id fill in him and its getting late... Ill uh... be back...” Kurt continued, pausing to glare at Blaine as their eyes met. “... eventually,” he said coldly and hurried out into the hall.

Avery rolled his eyes; hed forgotten how dramatic teenagers could be, which is why he rarely bothered with them. “Nice going, Blaine.”

Blaine looked truly bewildered and he stormed off towards the bar, “Pah, hes being too over sensitive.”

“Wow, youre a really mean drunk...” Avery said. When Blaine was about to raid Averys impressive liquor stash he raced towards his drunk great uncle. “Oh no, youre cut off and Im making you some coffee!” Avery announced. Too bad hed given his staff the night off and was forced to do it himself.

Blaine stepped up to the bar, placing his chin on the counter and letting out a troubled sigh. He glanced up at Avery with tired eyes, seeking any condolence his great nephew might be willing to give him. “I suppose that was wrong of me...” he finally admitted.

“You think? You'd better apologize when he comes back and youve sobered up a little!” Avery warned.

Meanwhile Kurt stopped at a what he thought was a safe enough distance down the hall to call his dad. Before dialling Kurt paused to see if Blaine was coming to apologize but there was no sign of him.That stung a little but Kurt told himself it would be better if Blaine tried when he was in a better state. If Kurt considered Blaines situation and how hed resorted to intoxication to cope, Kurt needed to cut the displaced young man some slack. What hurt the most was that Blaine didnt even acknowledge that staying in the future (now technically the present) meant they wouldnt have to say goodbye.

“About freaking time, Kurt,” Burts less than amused voice trailed through the speaker.

“Sorry... I wish I had good news but... yeah... its bad Im afraid,” Kurt began.

“Is Blaine gone?” Burt questioned.

Was everyone he knew not making sense anymore? “No! Didnt you hear me? I said I didnt have good news,” Kurt said.

“Well then, before you get lippy start filling me in.”

“Blaine cant go back. He never even travelled into the future in the first place... theres nothing to be done,” Kurt said. Of course he elaborated and repeated everything Avery had told him. Here was the more mature reaction Kurt had expected, but from the wrong person.

“That sure sucks... hows Blaine taking it?” Burt asked.

“Hes not, he got drunk,” Kurt grumbled.

Burt paused. “You need me to come help bring him back?” he offered.

“No, if its okay... I think its better if we stay here at Averys tonight... Blaines pretty unstable...” Kurt exaggerated.

“Okay, Ill call in for you tomorrow at school. Focus on looking after Blaine for now. Hes gonna need you to get through this, Kurt.”

As usual Burt knew just what to tell his son, and Kurt took his advice straight to his slightly bruised heart. The fact that Burt was letting him miss school so he could help Blaine through his ordeal said a lot. “Thanks dad, Ill do that.” he assured.

During Kurts time out of the room Avery got two cups of coffee in Blaine and he was a little better off now. Blaine was still overly cheerful and in turn was becoming quite the blabber-mouth and that gave Avery a good idea.

Slowly advancing on his prey, Avery sat down beside Blaine, who made no protests to his close proximity. They looked like fellow drinking buddies after a lazy evening of cocktails. “So Blaine... Im wondering... now that youre more relaxed. How do you exactly feel about Kurt? You gotta admit he is one tall glass of water.”

“Hmm? Looking at him for long can bring up a thirst,” Blaine agreed.

Now here was the response Avery had been hoping for. “Im listening, please elaborate,” he coaxed.

Blaine might be drunk but he was too skilled with keeping secrets to let Avery get his way this time. He brought up his pointer finger and waved it side to side in warning, “Ah-ah-ah... not so fast...” he chimed, hed been aiming to place a finger on Averys lips, missed and poked him in the nose. “You gotta do better than that to get the best of me. Im not telling you a thing and theres nothing you can do to drag it out of me. Better give up before you make a fool of yourself,” Blaine warned playfully.

“Oh believe me, if I could use my usual assets, youd be revealing a lot more than your feelings about Kurt,” Avery threw back.

Blaine rolled his eyes. “Too bad you look too much like my brother to get anywhere with me, because you lack persuasive ability when you cant be seductive."

Avery got up off the couch, brought over a ice bucket and placed it on the floor under Blaines head. “Fine, Ill give up... but if you end up barfing, you better make sure you do it in that.”
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Too bad Blaine hadnt seen the Wizard of Oz yet or when he woke up back in a familiar place he might notice the similarities. Like at the end of the iconic film, Blaine was lying in bed back home and everything hed experienced recently wasnt a long dream. But then there were neither Auntie Em nor any doppelgangers to be found. So Blaine didnt utter the iconic words and you were there, and you, and you... The first sound Blaine made was a painful moan due to his unpleasant hangover. “Oh, my pounding head...” he groaned.

Before Blaine could think hed never travelled to the future, Kurts attractive face came into view, hovering from overhead. “Morning, Blaine,” Kurt said musically.

Blaine blinked; he was so hung over, he felt horrible and groaned as he sat up on the bed to get a better look at his surroundings. Oh, he hadnt been imagining things; everything he saw before him looked like his old room. The space and appearance of the room was the same but a lot of it looked slightly off. “Kurt? Where am I?” he croaked.

Kurt was in a better mood since last night and was fine to comply. “Were in what used to be your bedroom, Blaine,” he explained as he sat down on his chair beside the bed.

That meant, in a sense, Blaine was home. Usually whenever Blaine was under the weather the staff nursed him back to health, but not this time. Blaine noticed the cold compress cloth on his night stand and the bucket at his bedside. Kurt must have kept a bedside vigil and put his own needs aside for Blaines well-being throughout the night.

“It was Averys idea to bring you here. He thought it might be good for you to wake up in a familiar place. But I was worried that you might think youve been having a very long dream,” Kurt said cutely.

“I might have, if you werent here... thank you for staying by my side,” Blaine said softly.

Last night wasnt fun for Kurt and looking after Blaine only got easy once Blaine finally ended up crashing. But seeing his grateful smile renewed Kurts tired spirits and set his heart a-flutter. He needed to keep things simple for now and focus on Blaines well-being. Kurts feelings about Blaine and what they could be would have to wait. They had all the time in the world now, after all. “Hey, thats what friends are for.”

Youre so much more than a friend, Kurt, Blaine thought. But just because he was marooned in 2013, didnt mean he could rob Kurt from finding his true match, no more than he could live off Kurts kindness alone. “Kurt, I am so sorry for my actions last night. Can you ever forgive me?” he pleaded with woeful eyes.

Kurt knew there was no use holding onto any bitterness that still lingered, not with Blaines big puppy dog eyes. “Of course, Blaine... I mean you were drunk to begin with...”

“That still is no excuse for my actions Kurt, or the horrible things I said to you,” Blaine interrupted.

“You remember those, huh?”

Blaine nodded, wishing he didnt but at least he could deal with them now and apologize, if that would ever be enough. “Yes... I remember how I said you dont know me. Which is such a lie, I think you know me better than anyone... including myself,” he confessed.

Kurt knew he was blushing but he wouldnt let that ruin the tender moment. They both needed it right now.

“Wait, what about school?” Blaine asked suddenly. It was clearly well into the afternoon now.

“Dad called in sick for me, amazingly, so I could look after you.”

“Did you get any sleep at all?” Blaine asked with concern.

“Yes, Avery kept watch for some of the night so I could doze off periodically. Hes catching up on sleep right now actually,” Kurt explained.

As much as Blaine wanted to immediately mend the rift between them, Blaines splitting head was making it hard to think straight. Blaine needed more recovery time before he could give his best to make amends with Kurt.

Kurt watched as Blaine massaged the sides of his temples, groaning away when it didnt seem to be doing much good. Blaine slumped back down on the bed and pulled the covers up over his head to hide from the light and the world. Kurt shook his head, he took the glass of water and painkiller pills from the night stand. Then Kurt pried the blanket off of Blaines head and held out his gifts for his friend to take. “Here, take these... experience the joys of modern medicine.”

Blaine took the generous peace offering, swallowing each pill down willingly. “So... are we alright?”

“Not quite... but we will be... with time,” Kurt replied.
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When the chance for Blaine to redeem himself from his drunken foolishness arrived he never acted on it. He might have fully recovered from his intoxication but the emotional strain was still there, eating away on the inside. So all Blaine managed to do was utter a quick apology and Kurt hadnt pressed him further.

Their resistance was for a number of reasons, none of which Kurt or Blaine knew how to face. Their innermost doubts and fears kept getting in their way and so the clueless twosome chose to resort back to an old fail-safe: avoidance. Stalling in such a way was hardly mature but they were still teenagers after all.

When Kurt expressed he wanted to quickly go back home to get a change of clothes Blaine made no protests. A little solitude could give him the time needed to figure out what his next move would be. Only where to begin?

Kurt returned an hour later to find Blaine in the manors sitting room looking like he was an extra actor hired for tours. But Blaine wasnt a mere look-alike, he was the real deal and Kurt needed to face that fact. “There you are. You know... you look right at home.”

Blaine glanced up from the iPad Avery had gifted him and gave Kurt a friendly smile. “I actually feel very out of place. I think its because I know that this is no longer my home... or at least not the one I once lived in.”

“Anyone can feel like that Blaine. I sure have...” Kurt began.

“I know, and I shouldnt let myself wallow in misery, but I have no idea what to do about my life now.”

“Again, youre not the only one to feel lost.”

Blaine stood up from the couch and started to pace back and forth, trying to keep from getting cross with Kurt. He was more angrier at himself and his whole situation rather than his friend's counter remarks. For once Blaine needed to look past the idea that romance solved everything and get his life together. “What the hell am I supposed to do now, Kurt? How am I supposed to just slip into society when I have no records of any personal identity I can use? How can I find myself when I am so lost Im past the point of no return!” he grumbled.

“I dont know... I wish I did. I want to help you so bad Blaine, but Ive got nothing,” Kurt admitted with regret.

Blaine felt tired and dizzy so he stopped his pacing, walked over to where Kurt was standing and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Its not your job to look after me. I need to do this on my own...” he said.

“Fine, but dont you dare try to push me away in the process,” Kurt warned.

“Never,” Blaine replied, his voice slightly teasing.

Kurt didnt laugh at Blaines attempt at humour since the risk that Blaine would take everything on his own was very real. Kurt wasnt sure if there was anything he could do to help Blaines plight but he still wished Blaine could still rely on him a little. “Come on, lets head back to base so we can put our heads together and see what ideas we might come up with...” Kurt said, patting Blaine on the back and coaxing him to move.

Blaine kept his feet firmly planted on the floor, despite Kurts gentle urging. “Kurt... I cant stay with you forever...” he warned.

Kurt knew that better than anyone; in fact hed talked to his dad about it at length already. Whether it was actually his fault or not, Kurt still stubbornly wanted to help Blaine adapt to his stranded fate. He might have saved Blaine from a fate worse than death but there were his own concerns to consider as well. Deep down Kurt was happy that Blaine wouldnt have to go and he was worried that it made him a horrible person. “I know... but theres nothing wrong in staying for a little while longer. At least until you get back on your feet,” Kurt insisted.

“Okay,” Blaine relented. Blaine already knew he felt more at home at Kurts house than his own and he didnt mean just in the present.
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Somehow the fact that the Hummels had an extended guest who was from the year 1903 wasnt so unbelievable anymore. No one knew this better than the head of the household and Burt watched the days go by with conflicting emotions. He didnt mind Blaine sticking around for a bit longer as he tried to figure his life out; he was a good kid who was more than willing to pull his weight and around and lend a hand. It was hard to believe hed never lifted a finger to do any chores before. Blaine no longer joined Kurt for his classes and spent their time apart puttering around the house. When Carole came home to a spotless house and an extra teenage boy there was a lot of explaining to do. She ended up taking the truth rather well but now that was the least of Burts worries.

Right when Kurt should have snapped into action to help Blaine along, he was doing the opposite and letting his friend remain in limbo. They seemed to have some strange co-dependant routine going on now. Every day Kurt and Blaine would have breakfast together and when Kurt got back from school the two would become inseparable right until bedtime. Sometimes Blaine would end up sneaking into glee club too; they sure seemed to be living the life.

But none of this would help Blaines ordeal and Kurt wasnt any better off, hence Burts growing concern. Before Blaines arrival Kurt couldnt shut up about wanting to go to New York. Now there was nothing, not so much as a peep, and Kurts audition for Nyamada wasnt too far off.

The plan was for Burt to confront them both later on after work on Thursday but hed absentmindedly headed off without the keys to the shop that morning. Burt returned home to quickly grab them but when he passed by Kurts room he did a double take. Had he seen that right? To investigate, Burt walked right into Kurts room without warning. Yep, he had, there was Blaine writing a letter at Kurts desk. Burt had a funny feeling he knew exactly what was going on. “You planning on running again, Blaine?” Burt asked suddenly.

Blaine let out a startled shout and whirled around to find Burt Hummel staring at him, looking just like Kurt when he was pissed off. “Mr. Hummel!” Blaine sputtered as he quickly tried to hide what he had been writing, to no avail. “This isnt-” he began but was cut off when Burt snatched the paper off the desk with a firm grab. He very much wanted to run off instead of watching in agony as Burt read his letter.

“Really? Cause this sure sounds like a goodbye note to me,” Burt challenged.

Trapped with no place to go (again) Blaine had no alternative but to explain his actions. “Im not really trying to run and certainly not from Kurt. Its just... I cant stay here anymore. Ive remained for long enough and I need to go before I wear out my welcome altogether. I did nothing to earn this life and I cannot live on charity forever.”

“You might call it charity but Id say its my son wanting to help a friend,” Burt interjected.

Blaine wasnt in the most argumentative mood but he still felt the need to justify his rash actions. “I am growing far too secure and it feels like I am hiding from my responsibilities. I am truly grateful for all Kurt has done for me... But Ive let this go on for far too long as it is, I cannot let myself feel too sheltered. When I am with Kurt all I want to do is stay at his side and do nothing else. That is no way for anyone to live, Kurt cant be my whole world,” he tried to explain, struggling with his wording.

“You can start a new life and keep Kurt around you know.”

“Forgive me, Mr. Hummel,” Blaine nearly snapped. Normally he never would act so forward but he was fed up with counter remarks for once. “The only reason I came here at all is because I made a foolish mistake. It is fine time for me to grow up and think about someone besides myself. Kurts stopped talking about New York...” Blaine said, leaving out how Kurt had also turned a cute guy down yesterday. What if hed been Kurts soulmate? Could Blaine live with himself if sticking around meant Kurt would miss out on so much?

It seemed that no matter what year they were born in, teenagers still could be a real piece of work to figure out. It was time for one of Burt Hummels special talks, since they usually tended to do the trick. “Okay Blaine, before you try to bolt, you and I are gonna sit down and have a long talk.”

Blaine was used to doing what what adults told him and he was done with trying to rebel. So he gave into his fate, took a seat at the kitchen table and waited for the lecture he was sure would come next.

“I was planning to talk to Kurt first but youll do. Because if its reached the point where you were planning to run off-”

“I wasnt going to run!” Blaine interrupted on impulse. “Sorry, its just... I need to make that clear. Avery offered to put me up at his place; he has the room so I decided to accept. I thought perhaps if Kurt and I put some distance between us it would be for the better. We are becoming far too attached for our own good. Whenever Kurt meets his perfect match, I want to be able to let him go.”

“You really dont see it, do you?” Burt asked in amazement.

“See what?” Blaine asked, proving he had no idea what Burt was getting at.

Burt didnt know if he should laugh or groan at Blaine's cluelessness, so he just chuckled while shaking his head. “Get ready for me to rock your world Blaine, cause what I gotta say is something you need to hear.”

“Then by all means, please enlighten me!” Blaine said.

“The way I see it, that spell of yours ended up working,” Burt declared.

Blaine was so removed from the possibility that all he could do was to burst out laughing, until Burt gave him a icy stare that put the teen in his place. “Are you saying that the spell suspended me in time on purpose? Whatever for?” Blaine asked but when Burt didnt give any answer he was left to find it on his own. “I dont see how trapping me in some sort of magical subspace was the spell working. Unless it was keeping me alive until Kurt was able to bring me back in the present....” Blaine continued. Only as he spoke each word he slowly started to clue in and his look hardened. “Hold on... do you think... Kurt and I are... soulmates then?”

“Yep,” Burt confirmed. Burt wouldnt have gone that far but this was no time to nitpick over his disbelief in the idea of soulmates.

The sudden epiphany bowled Blaine over like hed been hit by a semi truck, sending him tumbling out of his chair. Blaines was too preoccupied to care about his less than graceful landing.

Burt leaned over to see if Blaine was unhurt. “You okay okay there, Blaine?” he called out.

Blaine was way better than okay; he was exuberant with new-found joy. Blaine jumped up from the floor, nearly bursting at the seams and grinning from ear to ear. “Its Kurt... hes the one! Its been him all along... I was just too blind to see it!” he stuttered in amazement. Blaine leaped onto his chair in his happiness. “Im in love with Kurt!” he shouted merrily.

“Get down before you fall on your ass again,” Burt chided, like Blaine was a hyperactive toddler.

Blaine realized he was acting a bit too overzealous, gave Burt a sheepish look and scrambled back down to sit like the gentleman he normally was. It was hard for him to maintain his composure, and even though he managed to some degree, his beaming smile remained. “Why didnt I see it before? It makes complete sense, my god!”

Would it always be Burts job to bring the teens in his life back down to reality, he wondered. “I know this is big for you Blaine, but remember what happened the last time you were so hung up on love? Yeah, the spell worked, but not in the most ideal way. Theres an old saying: be careful what you wish for. You and Kurt were born in totally different centuries... so nothings been easy on you guys.”

Blaine nodded. “I cannot say what Kurt has been going through but for me... I was so fixated on how we couldnt be soulmates. My arrival was nothing more than a mishap and I didnt think love could transcend such a long span of years. I wanted to experience the type of love that only happens once in a life time. I kept telling myself that I had no right to feel that way about Kurt. There was someone waiting out there for him, who was from this time and would fit easier into his life.”

“I know the idea of soulmates sure sounds nice. But you cant think whats keeping you together is something like fate or destiny. Relationships are a lot of work. Ive loved more than one woman, Blaine, two I ended up marrying. Kurts mom was it for me. When I lost her I didnt think Id find someone else but then I met Carole. If Kurts mom was my soulmate then what does that make her? You dont have to answer that... but do you get what Im saying?” Burt asked.

There was no rule that people had to believe in the same thing and Blaine admitted Burt had many valid points. This was the first time Blaine found himself talking to an adult who wasnt treating him like a child. “I do; thank you, Mr. Hummel. I still have a lot to learn. Not just about the time period but about love, life and how to live...”

Burt let out a long breath of relief. Finally somebody was thinking straight, so that just left the other culprit. “Good,” he said.

Burt and Blaine talked for a bit longer about the many issues Blaine would now have to face. Would he have to come up with a whole new identity now? How many lies would need to be fabricated before hed start to feel secure enough to move forward? After a while they came back to the whole conundrum of figuring out how to bring Kurt up to date with the news of the day.

“Man, I kinda wish you had run off and left Kurt that note now. It would be a good way to rile him up enough to admit his feelings. When push comes to shove he usually delivers...”

Blaine shuddered at the very idea. “Do you truly think Kurt feels the same way for me then?” he asked instead.

“Dont need to think about, I already know he does.”

Now the old time gentleman in Blaine snapped back into action, forgetting that he was in the year 2013 and how courtship rituals were vastly different. “Sir... I assure my intentions with your son are serious... once I make my feelings known Ill-” Blaine began but was cut off by Burt waving his hands up in protest.

“You better not be asking for Kurts hand in marriage; this isnt 1903. Youre way too young to be thinking about that, even if its legal in thirteen states now. You should take things slow, theres no need to rush anymore. Tell him how you feel first and then maybe give dating a try,” Burt said.

Blaine wanted to take his time when it came to the matters of the heart and he was through with jumping head first without any caution. “Right, that just leaves how to tell Kurt... I suppose leaving a note in this case wouldnt actually be wise?”

“If Kurt came home to find a written note and you not here, saying hed be pissed is a real understatement.”

A switch clicked on in Blaines brain and he smiled deviously at Burt. “Now thats an idea...”
____________________________________________________________________________

“Blaine! Youll never guess what happened at glee club today!” Kurt shouted as he burst through the front door. “The weekly assignment is to sing a duet and when I asked Mr. Schue if I could do it with you he said yes! So you better get ready to spend the rest of the day song searching, Mr. Duet partner!” Kurt chimed. Only there was no usual Blaine rushing over to greet him. Where could he be? Kurt wondered. “Blaine?” he called out. Nothing. There was no sign of Blaine and he didnt even call back in response.

Kurt went searching for his missing friend and when he arrived at his bedroom he found it empty. It wasnt like Blaine to leave without a trace anymore. It was true Blaine wasnt chained to the house but he was never one to wander far and not without any word. Kurt found the first clue to his whereabouts when he noticed a flash of purple as he scanned past his bed. Kurt hurried over to discover Blaines wedding suit was laid out. It wasnt the only thing out of place; on top of the clothes were Blaines journal and a sealed envelope.

“Hes gone, Kurt,” Burts voice said from behind.

“Gone? Gone where? Why would he leave?”

“You tell me. You probably have a better idea where he went and why.”

The likelihood of Blaine running off and leaving a note as his final goodbye was nothing Kurt wanted to face but he had no other choice. Before hed turn to his usual dramatics Kurt knew he didnt have enough information to go on yet. “Guess theres only one way to find out,” he grumbled as he grabbed the letter and tore it open.

Dearest Kurt,

You are surely wondering where I am by now. I am so sorry but I really have no choice but to leave you. We are growing too close, far closer than friends should be. I cannot seem to remember how you are not mine to treasure. It is about time I take matters into my own hands; right now my life is not yet my own. Meeting you was the most wonderful gift and I shall never forget our time together. If I am to have any hope in finding myself then I must take my leave. I hope my cowardly actions will not make you think ill of me. I am sure we shall meet again, someday.

Until then
Yours sincerely
Blaine Devon Anderson

Those poetic words might sound pretty but Kurt wasnt touched, he was downright infuriated by Blaines nerve. How could he think this was an appropriate way for them to say goodbye, it was so impersonal. It almost felt like Blaine thought their time together amounted to nothing. “Blaine is a complete idiot! Why does he think we cant have a future together? How can he think there could be anyone whos better for me than him?” Kurt shouted angrily.

“Probably cause he has no idea how you feel about him,” Burt countered.

“Not now, dad...” Kurt grumbled.

“Hey, all Im doing is stating the obvious here, dont go whining to me about it. Far as I see it, you two brought this on yourselves. Blaine chose flight and right now... youre going with fight. But youre barking up the wrong tree, Kurt. Im not the one you should be getting snarky at.”

While it was true Kurt used anger as an outlet whenever necessary, he knew it was a bad call in this instance and he simmered down.“Sorry, I dont have the time to say how right you are dad... Ive got a gentleman to track down!” Kurt grumbled with determination.
__________________________________________________________________________

The Anderson manor was far livelier than usual, since there was a tour currently taking place with more than a dozen people in tow (an impressive number). If only those inquisitive tourists inside the main house knew about the young man now walking around the grounds. If anyone did notice him then they didnt look long enough to notice his resemblance to the locally famous Blaine Anderson.

But Kurt wasnt just anyone. He knew exactly where to look and soon located Blaines inconspicuous figure. Kurt silently approached a lovely little spot beside the gardens and found Blaine sitting on a wooden swing hung from a large spruce tree.

Blaine wasnt bothering to move on the swing, so in the calm serenity he easily heard the sound of nearing footsteps. He pushed off the ground and started to swing away, never once looking up to greet the boy before him. “I knew youd know where to find me...” he began, finally looking up. “... Kurt,” he finished with a warm gaze.

Kurt kept himself at a safe enough distance from Blaine so he was out of his strike zone, eyes darting back and forth as he watched Blaines swinging frame. Kurt shook his head with mild amusement; Blaine had come full circle and he now looked in tune with the time but not the place. “Well, I know from your journal that this is your favourite place to be,” he said, while holding out the journal. “At least when you want to be left alone to think and cant go too far.”

“But this time I came here not to be alone. I was waiting for you Kurt,” he explained.

The confession sure threw a monkey wrench in Kurts whole getting angry at Blaine' plan and there was no time to regroup. Kurt got an annoyed thought that would quickly flare his tempter back up if correct. “Wait, was this some sort of test?”

For once Blaine didnt panic over the idea of offending someone and his smile grew cheekier. Blaine dug his heels into the ground to bring his swinging to a stop and jumped off at the right moment to manage a graceful landing. Blaine knew that love wasnt a quick fix and he still had a lot to learn but he was ready to face every challenge. “Yes, but if it makes you feel any better, you passed with flying colours,” he admitted.

“Not cute Blaine,” Kurt warned with narrowed eyes.

Oh how Blaine wished he had the time to prove to Kurt how cute he could be, but that would have to wait. Right now there was the whole matter of confessing his undying love for Kurt. “I guess Im still not used to expressing my feelings...” he began.

Kurt wasnt tense because he swore whatever Blaine was hinting at meant something wonderful was about to happen. Kurt was more than willing to use their usual talents for banter to create the romantic atmosphere required. “Why not use an old fail safe then?” he suggested as he held out Blaines journal in offering.

At first Blaine acted like he was going with Kurts advice as he took the journal from Kurts hand, only to toss it on the floor like it was worthless. “I dont want what Im used to... not anymore. What I want Kurt, more than anything... is you,” he breathed and then kissed him.

Kurt had wanted the kiss to happen as much as Blaine did so he fully gave into the sensation and melted into Blaines embrace. The kiss was neither chaste nor short, in fact it would have been thought downright obscene in Blaines day. But there was nothing that would make the pair break apart and act more restrained. Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaines shoulders and on a whim got a little bolder, opening Blaines mouth with his own. Blaine caught on quick, went with the change and he held onto Kurts waist as they kissed. Here was the first kiss both boys longed to experience and the moment was like a true celebration of love. But all good things must come to an end, and it ended before the need for air might make them choke. Blaine and Kurt felt like they were so high on love that nothing would bring them down again.

Kurts eyes fluttered open and he looked straight into Blaines soft brown eyes. “I love you, Blaine. I think I always have,” he whispered.

“Halleluiah!” Blaine cheered. To truly celebrate the occasion Blaine went so far as to dip Kurt backwards and land a big loving kiss on his inviting mouth. He held steadily onto Kurts waist to keep them from toppling over and then focused on exploring Kurts soft lips with his own. Blaine pulled them both up into a standing position and made a little mwah sound at the end of the kiss. “Hows that then?” he asked with cheeky delight.

Kurt beamed back at Blaine, his head was still spinning from that tantalizing second kiss. “Wow...” he wheezed.

“Sure feels magical huh?” Blaine teased.

“I dont care how we ended up together. I want to be with you, Blaine. Time doesnt have anything on us,” Kurt said.

Blaine had always wished when he said such romantic words it would actually mean something and now it did. For once Blaine was the one in the know and that almost felt oddly satisfying. Before getting to the next part Blaine took Kurts hand in his and led them to sit beside him on the nearby swing. “Kurt, the spell worked.”

Kurt nearly ended up falling off the swing save for Blaines quick reflexes, mirroring Blaines reaction to the same news. “Explain,” he urged, needing more information.

Blaine was happy to elaborate, “The spell worked exactly like it was so supposed to, Kurt. I was brought here so we could meet and fall in love. It was all meant to happen...”

Kurt went wide eyed when he finally caught on, “Oh my god, youre right!” he shouted. Whenever Kurt was passionate about something it didnt take long for him to get excited and this time it was no different. “I mean, think about it Blaine, really think... the type of love you wanted wouldnt have been possible back then. At least not completely, and not without the fear of negative repercussions. So I think when you poured your heart into the spell you didnt know how far it would end up taking you...” Kurt rambled.

Blaine nodded in agreement; Kurt was so cute when he got flustered. “I certainly never thought my soulmate would be waiting for me in the year 2013. Which is the reason why at first I tried to convince myself otherwise.”

“Shows what we know then. Nice spell Blaine.”

“Ah well, any credibility on my part is lost when none of it was on purpose. But I certainly have no reason to complain because it brought me to you. The spell worked beyond my wildest dreams, Kurt. I know nothing will be easy for me from now on. But the past no longer matters and Im not so worried about the future anymore. Im ready to live in the present... with you,” he finished, pulling Kurt into his arms.

Kurt smiled back and finally got his chance to initiate a kiss between them. Kissing Blaine felt like heaven on earth. “Im ready, willing and able to start our lives together. I want to help you adapt to this new world you find yourself in... it might be challenging, but I think well manage.”

There would be plenty to overcome, such as Blaines lack of personal records, but with Kurt at his side he didnt felt so overwhelmed. Blaine was done with looking to magic to turn his life around. All he wanted now was to do things the old fashioned way. “Oh, I believe so,” he agreed.

“So, is this the part when you get down on one knee and ask for my hand in marriage?” Kurt teased.

Blaine laughed, “Actually... I nearly asked for your fathers blessing, but be stopped me before I could,” he admitted sheepishly.

It didnt matter how much of a wedding fanatic Kurt was, he knew that getting married so quickly wasnt very sensible. “Wow, that was brave... but people live longer now so theres little need to rush. As much as I love a good wedding, lets hold off on any nuptials for now,” he suggested.

“Your father suggested we give dating a try first.”

Eyes twinkling, Kurt jumped off the swing and bent down on one knee in front of Blaine. “Blaine Devon Anderson, will you do me the honour of becoming my boyfriend?” he asked.

There might not be a ring to go with the request but Blaine still got the proposal he wished would happen right on this very spot. Blaine couldn't care less if they werent getting engaged just yet; that day would come. Blaine managed to hold himself together so he didnt tackle Kurt to the ground and merely got off the swing. Blaine pulled Kurt back up into a standing position, cupping the side of his face lovingly. “Kurt, of course I-”

“Shh!” Kurt hissed, cutting Blaines answer mid-word.

Before Blaine could protest the interruption he heard the reason for Kurts shushing him. A crowd of people were nearing the teens and they started to panic. They were acting like two young lovers caught together back over a century ago. Luckily the actual situation was far less troubling and easily dealt with.

“Its a tour,” Blaine whispered to Kurt.

The new couple (pending Blaines yes) scurried away from the swing and off towards a group of trees for cover. There might not be any real danger in being discovered but Blaines appearance could still pose a problem. Or at least cause enough of a stir to delay the continuation of their getting together and neither wanted that. Blaine and Kurt bided their time and held their breaths as the tour-guides speech trailed their way.

“Now here is a very special spot for the Anderson family, one thats become quite a place of tradition over the years. This swing is the iconic setting where countless Anderson men have proposed marriage to lucky young women,” the tour guide explained.

“Cooper didnt, he never got the chance. He made it half-way there and got impatient,” Blaine whispered to Kurt.

“Why wasnt Cooper betrothed at a young age like you were?”

“He was, but he fell so much in love with Lora that he still wanted to officially propose to her. I never bothered with Grace...” Blaine admitted.

The wait for their unwanted guests to leave was brutal and as soon as the coast was clear, Blaine got right back on track. “Now, where were we... right, I still need to give you my answer,” he sassed. But before he could get out of hand Blaine saw Kurts stern look and he was quick to behave. Blaine took Kurts hands in his own and there were now hearts in his eyes. “Kurt, it would be my honour to be your boyfriend... and one day, your lawfully wedded husband.”

“Good, I love a man who knows what he wants,” Kurt said playfully.

Blaine laughed with joy as Kurt hugged him and he relished in the fact that thanks to magic, music and a lot of luck, hed found his soulmate in the end. The connection Kurt and Blaine shared was so strong it took a hundred and ten years for it to bloom. There would be no hiding their love in the shadows and away from public eye. The world held so much promise and no matter what setbacks came their way, nothing could keep them apart.

Kurt brushed the last leaf from Blaines wavy locks before he couldnt take it anymore and kissed him, who kept coming back for more. Each urgent kiss was enjoyed and treasured and many a giddy laugh was shared in between.

“I feel like Im falling under a spell...” Kurt breathed.

Blaine smiled at Kurts comment and decided to use a bit of magic for flair and uttered a quick spell. As Kurts back was further pressed against the tree trunk they were standing under, he barely noticed the pretty display. Miniature fireworks shot forward and erupted in to little specks of coloured light around the lip locked pair. Kurt laughed but didnt say anything about them; the newly made boyfriends were too focused on each other and their lips.

When the two finally took a short break they refused to let go, keeping close and enjoying the new-found intimacy. There would be no parents to decide how their relationship would progress, since it was up to them.

Blaine knew Kurt would never make up for all that hed lost but he didnt need to. Love wasnt an easy fix and finding your soulmate didnt ensure a happy ending. Blaine didnt need to peek ahead into the future to know his life would include Kurt no matter what.

“And the future never looked so bright!” Blaine cheered.
___________________________________________________________________________

Of course Kurt and Blaine confessing their love didnt make the circumstances of finding one another any less miraculous, and there were many loose ends to tie up in consequence. It was time to throw off the guise of Blair (the vising pen-pal from Paris) and that wasnt too difficult for Blaine to do. Blaine now had a new identity which was closer to the truth and easier to live with. Enter Blaine, an unknown member of the Anderson line who resulted from infidelity many years ago. He was named of course after the missing youth he looked exactly like. Blaines desire to find his estranged family in Ohio led him to the internet where he met Kurt online. At Kurts offer to help, Blaine had travelled to Lima in the hopes of meeting Avery. To Blaines delight the young heir had not only agreed to see him but accepted Blaine with open arms and allowed him to use the Anderson surname. A sure fire new identity that hopefully wouldnt amount to any drama.

Blaine was confident every remaining detail about his new life would be addressed and figured out in the correct order.

Right now Kurt was looking forward to getting to do something hed never done before: sing a romantic duet in glee club with his boyfriend. As soon as the last class of the day was over Kurt found Blaine waiting for him at his locker.

Blaine watched Kurt flirtatiously make his way over and gave his boyfriend a quick peck on the lips in greeting. What seemed like such a little amount of PDA was actually very bold to pull in the middle of school and Blaine let that fact sink in. This was final motivation he needed to tell Kurt about his newly made plans for the future.

“Right on time, honey,” Kurt chimed.

“Punctuality is still a must for me,” Blaine scoffed.

Kurt chuckled at Blaines joke but as they stood together arm in arm he noticed Blaine was slightly nervous. “Whats on your mind, Blaine?”

Blaine's smile held true affection; Kurt always seemed to know exactly when he was having difficulty with expressing his inner thoughts.

Already his new boyfriend was not only helping Blaine become more modern, he was also a pro with encouragement. “Well... since you asked so nicely, as you know, Ive been pondering what to do with my life quite a lot. Youve give me the space and time needed to think on my own but the wait is now over,” he explained.

“Im all ears Blaine,” Kurt said.

“Thanks to Avery I now have enough fabricated records to take my place as an official member of society. Of course there's still my lack of a modern education and how I clearly have a lot of catching up to do. I am nowhere near college level yet, at least when it comes to my scholastic ability. When it comes to magic I am not so worse off luckily. Avery and I gathered...” Blaine continued, his face softening when he said his nephew's name. Quite a contrast to when they first met, but Avery was still family and the part about Blaine being welcomed into the family wasnt a lie. “... that it would take roughly two years for me to become eligible to apply at Nyamada. So I shall take classes in New York to reach that point and hopefully my efforts will pay off in the end,” Blaine finished.

Kurt already knew whatever Blaines plans were they would include him; the first thing Blaine had assured was he would go with Kurt to New York. Not to follow him like a shadow but because Blaine wanted to live there just as much as his boyfriend did. “Im proud of you, Blaine,” Kurt gushed.

Of course Kurt knew the biggest compliment he could give him. Blaine never heard those exact words very often, if at all. Blaine gave a quick look around to see how he should show his gratitude, but alas, it was too crowded for a proper kiss. “I love you Kurt,” he said instead.

“I love you too. I can hardly wait until well relocate to the Big Apple!” Kurt gushed.

“What about the duet?” Blaine asked.

Kurt laughed, “Oh right, lets still do that.”

Still unable to fully shake his gentlemanly ways (but a little chivalry now and then was still good) Blaine offered his arm to Kurt. The couple strolled off towards the choir room in perfect romantic bliss, happier than they could have dreamt. The duet they would sing to one another in a short while was also perfect beyond words.

“Alright, Kurts up next to sing and hes asked to do his duet with Blair, I mean Blaine, sorry. So come on up and take it from here, guys,” Mr. Schuester said.

This time Blaine was fine to leave the piano playing to Brad; he wanted to stand beside his soulmate as they sang together for the first time. The song was one Kurt knew he and Blaine needed to sing the second hed come across it in his iTunes library. It was originally meant to be sung by two women, but this particular rendition of I Know Him So Well was performed by John Barrowman and Daniel Boys.

The scene in the room was quite simple, just two boys expressing their love for one another in song.

Nothing is so good it lasts eternally
Perfect situations must go wrong
But this has never yet prevented me
Wanting far too much for far too long

At the exact moment Blaine broke away from gazing with love at Kurt and took over to sing the next verse. He circled their performance area in the choir room, watching and singing to Kurt with every step.

Looking back, I could have played it differently
Won a few more moments, who can tell?
But it took time to understand the man
Now at least I know, I know him well

The pair came together in the middle and only had eyes for each other for the next part as they swaped lines here and there.

Wasnt it good (oh so good), Wasnt it fine (oh so fine)
Isnt it madness he cant be mine
But in the end, he needs a little more than me
More security, he needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well

No one in your life is with you constantly
No one is completely on your side
And though I move my world to be with him
Still the gap between us is too wide

The second Blaine had heard Kurts song choice hed noticed the similarities to his and Kurts story. But it wasnt completely accurate; for one thing it was almost like a break-up song. Blaine thought how if his and Kurts life was being played as a Broadway musical, then this song would be sung right before they ended up confessing their love to one another.

For the next part both boys sang at different parts but still managed to achieve perfect harmony from their combined voices. It was more proof that their chemistry was so strong it had brought Blaine to the future.

Looking back, I could have played it differently
(Looking back, I could have played things another way)
Learned about the man before I fell
(I was just a little careless maybe)
But I was ever so much younger then now at least
(Now at least I know him well)
I know I know him well

Wasnt it good (oh so good),Wasnt he fine (oh so fine)
Isnt it madness he cant be mine
Didnt I know (didnt I know) how it would go
If I knew from the start
Why, why am I falling apart
He cant be mine

But in the end, he needs a little bit more than before
More security, he needs his fantasy and freedom
I know him so well
It took time to understand him
I know him so well

The room remained quiet right up until the end of the song and Kurt and Blaine were brought out of their own little world when the music stopped. Tears were in their love filled eyes and it was hard for them not to sprint towards another and share a heartwarming embrace. During the song Blaine hadnt bothered to use magic to amplify the number; this time the emotion conveyed in their performance said it all.

Kurt beamed with pride when the room broke into a loud round of applause, which for the New Directions was quite a feat. “We make a good team Blaine. I think its safe to say our duet was a hit,” he whispered.

No one knew that joyous fact better than Blaine, except maybe for Kurt, and the two smiled in triumph. Blaine thought their duet marked the start of their journey together splendidly. After waiting for a hundred and ten years, the nineteen-year-old time traveller was looking forward to getting to know Kurt better with every new day. “Id say, you sure knocked me for a loop,” he said back in agreement.



Epilogue

New York City. An unknown place (since his last visit over at century ago) to start a new chapter of Blaines life, that included Kurt just as he knew it would. Now the dream to live with his soulmate in a place where their love could be accepted was no longer an impossible one. Hed made it; they both had. Kurt, of course, nailed his audition to Nyamada and the day his acceptance letter came was one of Blaines happiest memories to date.

Of course people always seemed to forget how the task of physically moving to a new location (especially one so far away) was quite a chaotic ordeal. Currently they were dealing with things one cardboard box at a time. The tiny apartment Blaine and Kurt had managed to find might not be a rich manor house but it was still their home.

Kurt didnt think he could survive another climb up the agonizing flights of stairs that led to their new abode. He grumbled and grunted all the way until he finally cleared the door and placed the last heavy box onto the floor. “Im done... I cant do this anymore,” he wheezed.

Blaine appeared moments later and rolled his eyes at his winded boyfriend, picking up the box and placing it with the others in the narrow living room. “Youre the one who wouldnt let us use any magic to move things around,” he pointed out.

Then Blaine walked past Kurt and he quickly caught sight of the reason hed insisted on that foolish rule in the first place. With new-found energy Kurt rushed over and grabbed Blaines bare arm. “And deny me the chance to see your delicious biceps in action? I think not,” he scoffed. Kurt gave his arm muscles an appreciative squeeze; Blaine had bulked up a little (but not too much) since hed took up boxing to stay in shape.

Blaine no longer found the idea of showing off so much skin so scandalous and in the heat of the summer day it was quite necessary. “Can I at least use a spell to take care of this stifling heat?” Blaine pleaded.

Kurt nodded, stepping back from Blaine, and watched him get to work. Already he could feel the difference once his boyfriend was done. He still felt hot and bothered but that was for an entirely different reason, not just because of the elements. Since his arrival Blaine had slowly started to feel comfortable in his own shoes and as a result, kept on getting sexier every minute. Kurt was tempted to fan himself from his flustered state but that would probably confuse Blaine ad make him think the spell wasnt working. “Ah, now thats more like it. Youre so useful to me, honey,” he cooed instead.

Blaine tried to send Kurt his best sexual look and felt a rush of satisfaction when Kurt shivered in response.“Am I? Well then... would you be so kind as to show me with actions and not words?” he requested proactively.

The happy couple came together without any further ado and took a break from unpacking to have their first official make-out session in their New York apartment. Right when things were getting good and racy, Kurt backed off and pulled away from Blaine slightly. “Wait, Blaine, hold up for a second...” he muttered.

“Youre such a tease at times...” Blaine breathed; he clearly thought Kurts hesitance was just another one of his fun little role play games.

It wasnt, but Kurt wasnt annoyed or alarmed, he just rolled his eyes at Blaine. “Lord, what have I unleashed in you? Theres something I want to show you,” Kurt said.

Blaine raised a wary eyebrow at that comment; he wasnt sure what Kurt was getting at and he didnt want to assume the wrong thing. Theyd talked at length about how they wanted to take things slow when it came to the physical side of their growing relationship, so they hadnt really done that much yet, save for very passionate making out which was working well so far. But Blaine knew that their relocation and how they were now living alone could change their plans. Kurt was already testing him on so many levels; he was just so darn enticing. “Please tell me what you mean before my imagination... or my young libido gets away from me,” he nearly groaned.

Kurt tore himself away from Blaine, ignoring his protests and hurried over to the newly built dining table to retrieve something from it. He was back at Blaines side and in his arms before hed had any real time to whine about it. Kurt started off by briefly kissing Blaine on the lips. Before Blaine could ask what he was going on about Kurt held a beautifully wrapped package under his boyfriend's face, grinning away. “Surprise! I got you a house warning gift,” he chimed.

Only Blaine didnt jump for joy from the kind gesture. He did nearly the opposite and let out an annoyed groan. “Kurt... that is very sweet of you... but I didnt get you anything!” he complained.

“Who said you needed to? You can think of something that could return the favour later. Right now what you need to do is open up your damn gift,” he said curtly.

They might have only been boyfriends for a little less than three months but already Blaine knew when not to push his luck. Besides, he was very curious to find out what was hidden under the pretty silver wrapping. So he took the gift from Kurt, giving him a quick peck on the cheek in thanks and set to opening it up. It was hard not to rip open the package, but Blaine was not so uncivilized, so he managed to keep his composure. As soon as the wrapping paper was off he let out a winded gasp of surprise. “Oh Kurt, this is marvellous...” he gushed.

Kurt watched Blaine almost caress the smooth surface of the journal, his fingertips running across the words Blaine Devon Anderson engraved in gold along the spine. Kurt was still very proud that hed found a website that made custom books. The end result Kurt had designed was different from Blaines original: the binding was light purple with gold embossed writing. Along the bottom was the inscription, Look to the past, live the present and plan for the future. “I know your journal was running out of space. So I thought Id give you a new one, where you could start fresh,” he explained.

There were tears in Blaines eyes and he suddenly swept Kurt into his arms, holding him close. “Its perfect, I love it...” he gushed, kissing his neck. “I love you...” he murmured.

Now Kurt was fine to let things get a little hotter -- and he wasnt talking about the summer heat -- and he kissed Blaine back with equal passion. Soon they couldnt keep things vertical for long and they slowly made their way to the bedroom. Each kiss delivered on their wanting mouths felt electrifying and neither wanted to stop. So they didnt. The couple gave themselves to the experience but by some miracle (or sheer determination) they kept their clothes on. Kissing was all nice and good but Blaine and Kurt were still holding to their agreement over wanting to wait to go all the way.

Blaine figured it wouldnt be long before they might want to slowly wade into those waters. He himself felt no real urge to wait until they got married; that was one of the many things he liked so much about the future. But no matter what year he now lived in, Blaine was still a refined gentleman through and through. Whatever his hormones and wild attraction to Kurt might make him want to do, not a single move would be made until he was sure they were both comfortable and ready.

When the boys ended up reaching their limit a short while later, they did the mature thing and got back to moving in to give themselves time to cool down. Once achieved they rewarded themselves one of their favourite pastimes (save for kissing): snuggling together in bed. There had been no attempts to argue who would get to sleep in the bed this time; they both were more than happy to share for the rest of their lives.

“So, are you anxious about starting class?” Blaine asked Kurt sleepily.

Kurt let out an obviously fake but playful scoff. “Not really, no... I mean, Im a bit nervous, but I was accepted. All I can do is try my hardest and give it my best... the same goes for you too, love,” he said.

“Im looking forward to bringing my education more up to date. Im sure it will be better than googling for information,” Blaine said with a chuckle.

Kurt snorted. “Well you wont need to sift through all the porn at least,” he teased.

Blaine took a little break from the playful banter so he could spend some time kissing Kurts neck, another new favourite pastime of his. Kurt let out a throaty moan from Blaines ability to touch him in all the right places. Kurt was grateful Blaine held back just enough so there wouldnt be any embarrassing physical reaction from Kurts lower regions. “Shouldnt you look into making a first entry in your new journal?” he questioned.

“Later,” Blaine whispered sensually.

The chance to make that new journal entry didnt end up happening until Blaine and Kurt got back to unpacking and were too worn out to continue anymore. Blaine paused to look at Kurts beautiful sleeping figure over at their bed and he took his breath away. Blaine never thought he would find himself so happy and loved at such a young age. He wasnt married to Grace or trying his best to deal with being in a lifelong relationship that would never include romantic love. Blaine would have thought he was living some incredible dream but everything that had happened since hed met Kurt could only be real. Kurt was his and he was Kurt's, they were in a new city, and would continue to live their lives together day by day.

Blaine took a seat down at his writing desk (another gift from Kurt, courtesy of Ikea) and put his old journal in the top drawer. When he took Kurts lovely gift in hand he didnt end up turning to the first blank page. Instead he flipped all the way to the last and with purple pen in hand, wrote six little words that meant so much.

And we lived happily ever after...

The End