Chapter Sixteen

Once again, Blaine's encounter with Kurt's roommate Rachel was anything but regular. So It appeared that the third time wasn't always the charm. Blaine very much wanted to break the habit, considering how they hadn't even had a proper introduction yet. It was time for Blaine to play the peace maker between his boyfriend and 'the Diva' as Kurt had just called her. If it could spare them all unnecessary drama he would happily do the job, especially since he was the one who'd left the bacon on his plate.

"I'm gonna go talk to her, okay?" Blaine told Kurt.

Kurt shrugged and said, "Suit yourself."

Blaine eyed Kurt as he started to tidy up after breakfast, he didn't seem to be actually pissed off, just slightly annoyed. As for Rachel, Blaine had a feeling that he had his work cut out for him. She had put up the curtains around her room, as if she thought that would keep them out. It did stop Blaine, who was far too polite to intrude on Rachel's personal space, but that didn't mean he was about to give up.

"Rachel, it's me Blaine," he called but got no reply. "Look, we're sorry about the bacon all right? We weren't thinking, we just got too swept up with the fact that I'm finally here."

It didn't take long before Blaine received Rachel's dramatic response. "It's not just the bacon. Kurt thought I was jealous of him – over you!"

"If you recall, Kurt was surprised at the idea that you would be jealous about me. We've certainty never discussed the possibility before either. This is all just a silly misunderstanding Rachel, so can you please come out so we can have a real meeting? I think we deserve one finally, wouldn't you agree?" Blaine pleaded.

Thanks to Blaine's gentle coaxing, Rachel came to her senses and the curtains parted ways, bringing her into view. She beamed at Blaine for a moment and then launched herself at him with a tackling hug.

Blaine hugged her back; slightly surprised but delighted that he'd managed to stop a potential war.

"I'm sorry I acted so ridiculous there. The trip back home, while short, totally wore me out and smelling that bacon right when I stepped through the door made me crazy with hunger," Rachel explained.

Blaine chuckled, "Knowing Kurt, I bet he would be willing to make you something."

"Already way ahead of you there," Kurt's voice chimed in from the kitchen.

"Thank you, Kurt!" said Rachel, who seemed to be completely recovered from her dramatic episode. It seemed that her flight had left her tired enough that her recovery from her dramatic episode was quick. "I'm so glad you're here at last, Blaine!" she gushed.

"So am I! I still can barely believe that I'm really here. I was starting to think this place didn't actually exist."

Rachel giggled at Blaine's obvious joke and she hugged him again. Soon her excitement levels had risen to match Blaine's so perfectly, that they looked like twins. "Well you better believe it and I for one am so glad to be back here. You know it's funny Blaine, Kurt and I have only been living here for four months and it already feels more like home than Lima ever did. That being said, at first I was too stressed about adjusting, and surviving at NYADA, or getting around on the subway without being mugged to get used to my surroundings but now, I feel like I'm finally a true New Yorker."

"You should have seen me when I first walked onto the streets of Manhattan, Rachel, I went into complete shock, because it was so overwhelming. Or I would have, if Kurt hadn't been there to keep the me grounded. It actually felt eerie, especially when we got to the loft. It was like, I knew I belonged here or something," Blaine said, as if he still couldn't believe it was possible.

Rachel squeezed Blaine's arm and said, "I've always known you would Blaine and now that you're here, I am that more sure."

For the past few weeks Blaine had tried his hardest not to over-hype his visit. The last thing he wanted was to feel any disappointment. But so far, there was none whatsoever and Blaine felt so happy in that moment. He wasn't out of the woods yet though, because the road ahead what still a tricky tightrope to manoeuvre. If he continued to hype it up too much or had too good of a time, he wouldn't want to go back home in a week, or have to wait another six months until he could permanently move to New York. He needed to simply enjoy his stay and constantly remind himself that his life back in Ohio, even if it lacked Kurt, wasn't so bad.

Rachel smiled at Blaine. "I know you can't wait to move here but until the summer comes, let this week be a window into your future, Blaine. Starting with us finally getting to know each other," she said.

When Kurt reappeared on the scene, he instantly noticed that Rachel was in her usually friendly mood, and he smiled at them both. He had to hand it to his boyfriend, Blaine was quite the little peace maker. "Hey there Rachel, sorry about that. As a peace offering I've made you peanut butter toast with apple slices," he said in a musical voice.

Rachel's face scrunched up with affection and she rushed into Kurt's open arms. "Oh I don't want to bicker with you and Blaine, so let's forget about it, okay?"

"Yes please," Blaine practically cheered.

The incident behind them, Kurt offered his arm to Rachel, who took it and let Kurt lead her back to the kitchen and her awaiting meal. Blaine joined in Kurt's little waiter act by holding out Rachel's chair and once she took a seat, he politely pushed her back in. Kurt placed a napkin on her lap next, which made Rachel giggle and shake her head at the boys' antics. Kurt wasn't even done yet though and as a final touch, he lit the three candles on the table.

"Bon app�tit Miss Berry. I'll even lend you Blaine to talk with while you eat," Kurt said.

"So generous," Rachel teased.

Kurt playfully rolled his eyes before turning his attention to Blaine. He affectionately touched Blaine's shoulder from behind and tickled his neck. "I'm going to take a quick shower Honeybee. I made you some tea," he said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Miss you already, Starlight," Blaine called out to Kurt, who blew him a kiss before disappearing from view. He smiled as he sat down at the table, taking a sip of his tea as Rachel tucked into her meal.

Rachel popped the piece of toast she was holding into her mouth, quickly chewing it so she could voice her opinion. "Honeybee? Starlight? Seriously you two are so adorable."

"Isn't it wonderful?" Blaine said with twinkling eyes. Rachel smirked back at him and Blaine tried to think of something for them to talk about. His words didn't come as easily like they did with Kurt but that was a given. "So how was your winter holiday?" he asked.

Her eyes instantly lit up. "Oh it was really nice! As much as I love it here I did miss my dads a lot. Which is why I'm so excited that they're going to be here tomorrow! You are going to love them Blaine, but probably not as much as they'll love you!" Rachel beamed at him. "My stay back home was lovely: we sang holiday songs, drank hot chocolate in front of the fire and watched Christmas movies until we fell asleep on the couch."

"You know I wasn't sure if I should get you a Christmas present or not, since you're Jewish," Blaine admitted to her sheepishly.

Rachel smiled thoughtfully at Blaine. "Oh, I always exchange Christmas presents with my friends Blaine, as it's still in the holiday spirit. My dad and I just don't go all full out, like having a tree or anything like that. So don't feel guilty if you didn't get me a gift Blaine, because having you here right now is more than enough. While my own gift will be that I am leaving tomorrow afternoon."

Just as Blaine had assumed, he and Rachel quickly fell into a natural rapport as they gabbed merrily together about a number of their common interested – the biggest one being Kurt. He had been dying to hear some of the many stories Rachel must have about their mutual acquaintance and she did not disappoint. Kurt was right, he and Rachel were similar in a number of ways: they were both driven, kind-hearted and widely passionate about the things they loved. Blaine for one was quite relieved that he could share so easily with Rachel and that she obviously felt the same way. She did have a tendency to go off on a long rambling spree about herself but Blaine didn't mind that (much). Blaine managed to get a word in now and then and to Rachel's credit, she could listen almost as well as she could talk.

Kurt returned, looking freshly showered and as flawless as ever and yet his boyfriend didn't even notice him.

"You two look like siblings; maybe even twins," Kurt said, grinning away.

Just the sound of Kurt's sassy voice made Blaine smile and as he turned to look at him, that smile got even larger. Kurt came to stand behind him, draping his arms over Blaine's front and he rested his chin upon the top of Blaine's head. It all felt so natural, like it was just another typical morning for the trio. Instead of it actually being the first time they were all in the loft together.

"Do we, Kurt?" Blaine asked playfully.

Kurt squeezed Blaine's shoulders. "You do, and I think it's cute. So what were you two chatting about that you didn't even notice me?"

"Blaine and I were telling each other what we did over the holidays," Rachel answered. She then ate the last bite of her toast and wiped her mouth with the napkin from her lap. "That was delicious thank you, Kurt."

Kurt grinned and said, "Anytime." Then he frowned cutely. "Well not anytime since you're leaving for tomorrow but you know what I mean."

Every word out of Kurt's mouth was so adorable that Blaine found it hard to contain his adoration. "You're too cute," he said, choosing to admit it outright.

The compliment produced a witty smile from Kurt, which made the butterflies in Blaine stomach flutter excitedly. Blaine patted Kurt's hand as he stood up and Kurt didn't make any protest, he just waited as Blaine came to lean against him. They swayed gently from side to side in each other's arms, like they were connected by some unknown force. In a way there were, since Blaine had felt how strong their chemistry was right from the start. The difference was that now that they were together again, he and Kurt could be as clingy as they wanted.

"So as you know Rachel, I've left the day pretty much open but maybe we should figure out our plans together now? You know, before time gets away from us?" Kurt suggested.

"Good idea Kurt, and thank you for letting me call the shots today. I promise whatever we do will be something we can all enjoy," Rachel said.

It felt way too good with Blaine in his arms for Kurt to sit down to brainstorm, so he was fine to stand. "Any ideas yet?"

"Well, I was hoping we could go to Callbacks," Blaine said.

"We could do that Blaine, but sadly open mic night was yesterday night but that doesn't mean we can't have fun there," Rachel explained.

"I'd still love to see it either way," Blaine admitted.

Kurt's brows were furrowed with thought. "Well we have the night portion of our evening covered at least, so that just leaves the afternoon," he said, stating the obvious.

They took a moment to come up with any ideas on their own. Kurt was amazed that three people creative people such as them were having this much trouble. This is why Kurt liked to plan ahead, yes a little spontaneity was all fun and good but not if it was becoming this much of a challenge. He did have ideas of course, just most of the things Kurt wanted to do with Blaine were ones he already planned to do once Rachel was gone. Which is probably why Rachel wasn't suggesting any of their usual haunts.

Then, just when Kurt was about to suggest they head to a swap meet in Chelsea – a truly weak idea – Rachel's eyes lit up and a wide grin spread across her face. Oh good, apparently she had something, 'Please let it be a good one,' Kurt thought hopefully.

"I've got it boys! How about we give Blaine a tour of the city but one where we give it a personal edge," Rachel said.

Kurt flashed her a puzzled look that made Blaine chuckle. "And how would we do that exactly?" he asked when Rachel didn't continue to explain herself.

"By visiting iconic spots from our favourite films! Like when Kurt and I had breakfast at Tiffany's'. I think that's something the three of us could have a lot of fun with, don't you?"

"That's a great idea Rachel, and I love it already!" Blaine said.

"It's more than great Honeybee, it's brilliant! Why didn't I think of that? Oh well, doesn't matter. So it's quite obvious that we're all on board with the idea," Kurt said, pausing to watch Rachel and Blaine nod at him in unison. "I can see it now; we'll take tons of photos and dress in a vintage theme, in homage to our love of classic films..." Kurt rambled as the wheels in his brain continued to turn. Kurt already had a plethora of ideas whirling around in his mind but as much as he loved to take charge, it was supposed to be Rachel's day. "Um, if Rachel doesn't mind, I do have some ideas to suggest."

"By all means take my idea and run with it Kurt, because it saves me the trouble," Rachel encouraged.

Now that Kurt had Rachel's blessing, there was nothing left to hold back Kurt from going full force into organization mode. "All right, let's get to it then. It's still early so we have plenty of time to whip up our itinerary for the day, hmm... let's see... Blaine, why don't you go get my laptop and help Rachel look up possible locations. Oh and do that in my room so I'll have you close at hand while I go through our clothing options. I'll start with Rachel first, that is, if you don't mind. I thought it would be fun if we co-ordinate with each other," Kurt explained.

"Of course I don't mind Kurt, I love when you dress me up!" Rachel said, grabbing Blaine by the hand and half dragging him to Kurt's bedroom.

Kurt chuckled as he followed the pair and broke off to go to Rachel's side of the apartment. He snuck a glance at Blaine and saw that he already had his laptop open and was chatting to Rachel as they got to work. Just the sight of his boyfriend and best friend getting alone so well filled Kurt with a lovely warmth. There wasn't a hint of jealous in him either, Kurt was on cloud nine and he'd felt this way from the moment he and Blaine had touched down in New York.

"Just keep in mind that it's the middle of winter Kurt, because I'm not about to let myself freeze to death in the name of fashion," Rachel warned, albeit playfully.

Kurt scoffed, "Oh please, this is the king of layers you're talking to, Rachel."

It was easy for Kurt to come up with his inspiration when it came to putting together Rachel's ensemble, two words: Barbra Streisand. With that at his arsenal Kurt easily routed through Rachel's wardrobe to come up with an outfit that would be not only suitable for the season, but fun and of course still flattering.

Meanwhile Blaine was happy to discover that he could survive being away from Kurt and actually enjoy Rachel's company – though Kurt wasn't very far, but still. Blaine typed any words that came to mind in attempts to find good sites for New York film locations.

Rachel was lying down on her front with her legs crossed at the ankles and up in the air. "This is going to be so easy Blaine, I can think of lots of movies that are set in New York," she said, her eyes never leaving the screen of her computer.

"I know, that's why I'm trying to look for a way we can narrow our search a bit," Blaine mumbled absentmindedly.

"What we need is a website that lists various movies that have been filmed in New York over the years with the intention of going to visit them."

"You think there would be lots like that, oh wait, I think I may have found one," said Blaine, who narrowed his eyes as he skimmed through the said website to check it out a bit more.

"Oh let's see, shove over."

Blaine obliged and placed his laptop a little more to the left on his knee so Rachel could see the screen enough as she came to lie beside him. "Yeah, here we go. I think it's exactly what we were looking for Rachel. See, here's a list here of physical New York locations and then the films that used them and it even says for what scenes."

"Good job Blaine! Oh look here's a good one: You Got Mail. I know Kurt loves that one, as do I of course," Rachel said, pointing to where it was on the list.

"And here's another good one, because Funny Girl is a must!"

Rachel looked like she was about to cry tears of joy at the mention of her favourite Broadway show and film. "Oh my good yes, Blaine, I love you for mentioning that!"

"Hey, watch it there Rachel, go find your own Broadway enthusiast to date," Kurt said, but the threat was obviously teasingly said.

Rachel simply ignored the comment but she did roll her eyes at Blaine, who tried to keep himself from breaking out laughing. He was having way too much fun, Blaine felt like he could wake up from a dream at any minute.

"Fame is another good possibility," Blaine said, adding to their growing list

"We have to go somewhere that relates to the Devil Wears Prada!" Kurt suddenly announced.

Blaine and Rachel exchanged looks of matched excitement.

"Yes!" Rachel shouted with delight.

Blaine went so far as to blurt, "I call Meryl Streep!"

Now it was Rachel and Kurt's turn to sound like twins as they both shouted back 'NO' at the exact same time with matching protest.
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As it turned out, finding locations that they could actually visit wasn't as easy as the trio of friends had originally thought. It was a let down to discover that a good portion of movies that came to mind either weren't filmed in New York, looked nothing like the iconic scene from the said movie, or the locations no longer existed. But none of this could discourage Rachel and Blaine for long and they continued on with their search regardless of the unexpected setbacks. As for Kurt, he was still busy exploring their wardrobes with the same determination and vigour.

The three came together in Kurt's bedroom to show their findings and Blaine immediately gravitated towards Kurt to sit close beside him.

"All right, it looks like you two have come up with a good list of addresses for us to pick through," Kurt said to start things off.

"That just leaves us to decide which ones to check out," Blaine said next.

Pouting, Rachel sighed, "I'm still disappointed that there are no places from West Side Story we could go visit."

Of course Blaine knew all about the personal connection Kurt and Rachel had to the musical and thanks to his boyfriend, he'd even seen a video of the show. "You were both so great it in, you especially Kurt, you were an amazing Tony." He couldn't help but compliment Kurt, who smiled at him affectionately.

"Looking back on it now, it's funny that I almost didn't get the part. It took a lot of convincing to change the others minds that I could do it. I knew I had it in me but I guess Artie, Miss Pillsbury and Coach Beiste weren't so sure I could play the leader of a street gang," Kurt admitted.

Anger prickled in Blaine, even if it was old news by now, he didn't like hearing such things. "You did get the part in the end so what tipped the scale?"

"My first instinct was to sing 'I'm the Greatest Star' from Funny Girl for my audition, which I would have blown out of the water but a voice in the back of my head urged me to go in another direction. This time singing girl songs wouldn't land me the role. I needed to show them that I had a rugged dark side and that I could -- pardon me for using the phrase -- 'man up' just like any other guy, in spite of my sexual orientation."

Blaine's face was full of pride; Kurt hadn't told him this part of the story yet, so he asked, "What song did you end up going with?"

"It was quite the challenge to decide, but I think my finale choice was pretty good," Kurt said.

Blaine was about to ask again what that choice was but then Rachel cut off his chance to.

"You should have been there Blaine, I snuck into watch his audition and I will never forget that moment. Kurt came out on stage and performed 'Move Like You Gonna Die' with such attitude, and resonance that he blew it out of the park!" Rachel explained.

While Blaine was familiar enough with the song – since his music tastes were quite varied – he was surprised that Kurt had chosen it. It certainty was bad ass enough for Kurt to show a whole new side of himself but it was also the complete opposite of what Kurt usually performed. He supposed that was the whole point though. Boy did Blaine wish he could have seen it for himself, now that would have been a sight to behold for sure.

"Maybe you can sing it for me sometime Starlight? As a special request," Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear. Kurt said nothing in reply but his cheeky grin kept Blaine hopefully optimistic.

"You think that would have been enough but when I snuck to overhear their thoughts of me via an open window, I quickly learned otherwise. Even after my stellar display of strength, they still weren't sure if I could 'pass enough' to play Tony," Kurt grumbled bitterly over the memory. "But I wasn't about give up, so I called another audition to prove them wrong. Where Rachel and I acted out a scene from West Side Story together," Kurt said.

"Which scene?" Blaine said, totally captivated by Kurt's heartfelt story.

"I may have proved that I was tough but then, Tony was more of a romantic anyway. So I decided I would show them all how I could deliver in that area as well. With Rachel as my Maria, our chemistry shined through when we acted out the scene where Maria and Tony meet on the fire escape. I thought it was going well until right before the song was supposed to start, I could hear their snickering, despite their attempts to stop themselves." Kurt stopped talking when he saw that Blaine's brows were tightly furrowed in anger. "It's okay, Blaine..."

"Actually Kurt, no it's not. I hate the fact that you went through such a hard time and for what?" Blaine muttered in annoyance.

Whether it was difficult for Kurt to retell or for Blaine to hear, the story was still unfinished. There was still the happy ending to come to, so Kurt went on. "It was humiliating and for a split second I wanted to run off of the stage but I didn't. I suddenly knew that running would only prove their point so I stood my ground. I turned to face them and called them out on mocking me in that way. That they weren't giving me a chance to prove my talent as an actor. What kind of person I am shouldn't dictate what I can and cannot do. So I challenged them right there and then to give me the chance I knew I deserved."

"He had them at that point, I saw it in their eyes," Rachel said.

Without having to ask, Blaine swept Kurt up into his arms and hugged him. He watched the tension drain from Kurt's body

Blaine whispered, "I'm so proud of you, Kurt."

"Needless to say that got me the part, and the rest is history," Kurt said, finishing the tale. "But getting back to our planned adventure, we still have a few details to iron out yet."

The list Rachel and Blaine had come up with was long indeed and extensive trimming would have to take place to make it far more manageable. Rachel placed the hand written version out on the bed in front of Blaine and Kurt for them to see.

"It's obvious that we can't visit all of these places in just one day. It's also the middle of winter so most of the spots will be covered in snow," Rachel said.

"And slush," Kurt added.

"I'm sure we can manage enough, even with the less than idle weather conditions," Blaine insisted. "And who knows, the added challenge could make it feel like we're having a scavenger hunt."

Once again Kurt's eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh Honeybee, that's our answer. We should do this like it is a scavenger hunt. It doesn't matter if we won't be competing against anyone or win a prize. The real reward will be us getting to spend time together out having fun in the greatest city."

Blaine rubbed his hands together gleefully. "I like the way you think, Starlight."

Kurt flirted, "You mean the way we think Blaine, since it was your idea."

"Which you took and made so much better," Blaine replied with equal playfulness.

"How about we call it a tie and agree it was a team effort?"

Blaine kissed Kurt's cheek and laughed, "Deal."

Right when Kurt was about to make his own saucy reply, Rachel, who was smirking away at the couple, cleared her throat to remind them both that she was still there. Blaine flashed her a sheepish but hopefully still an apologetic smile.

"Why don't we each pick a location as a start? That way if we can see more great but if not, then it won't be as much as a let down," Blaine suggested.

Rachel nodded in agreement. "That sounds good to me Blaine, but I wouldn't worry so much about it. Because any time with us is magical," she said, the we being her and Kurt of course.

"Let's make a promise that we'll do this again when Blaine comes back here and the weather is nice," Kurt said.

Blaine added, "We can make it a tradition of ours."

"That settles it then," Kurt announced. "Now let's make sure this first time is, as Rachel so rightly put it, magical," Kurt said, winking at Blaine.

"Why don't we make it four movies, since we can all agree that 'The Devil Wears Prada' is a must," Rachel said.

"Another great idea; we are on fire today. All right, so let's take a moment to select our pick and then share it with one another?" Kurt suggested and when he saw Blaine and Rachel nod he did just that.

When it came to Blaine's pick, he didn't never very much time to decide. "Mines definitely has to be 'When Harry Met Sally', as it's a very iconic film that takes place in New York. Not to mention it's a great movie and one that speaks to me on a personal level, well some of it anyway," Blaine started to ramble. He was just glad that it hadn't taken him and Kurt nearly so long to admit they wanted to be more than just friends. "There's a few places we could go but the first one that comes to mind is Katzi Deli that's on the lower east side of Manhattan."

"We're not planning to act out any of the scenes from the movie right? Because if so then I'm not sure I want to go there," Kurt said warily. "Then there's also the fact that Rachel's a vegan," Kurt said, adding another excuse. He wasn't trying to ruin their fun, he just didn't want to fake an orgasm, or even sit next to someone else doing it.

Blaine rolled his eyes at Kurt. "I dunno what you're imagining..." he said, lying since he did know and it was difficult for him not to blush. "But if you're that against it, we could go to Loeb Boathouse instead. It's in Central Park so it would be a good place to get something to eat."

"I like that option Blaine, so let's go with that, if Kurt has no objections?" said Rachel, who glanced at Kurt mischievously.

Alas, if Rachel weren't there and if he and Blaine weren't bent on holding their urges at bay then Kurt would have really showed how he had no objections. Though in all honesty, making out or anything like that would probably be a bit much – but still enjoyable. Next time then. So instead of that, Kurt playfully said, "None whatsoever."

"What's your pick, Kurt?" Blaine asked.

That was no easy question for Kurt to answer because he was rather torn over what to choose. There were simply too many options, countless musicals, and romantic comedies alike that the possibilities were endless. There was no reason for Kurt to go think about this so deeply, so on a whim he just picked one of his many considerations.

"I want to go to the building that they used for the exterior shots of the Head Quarters from Ghost Busters," Kurt explained.

"That was actually my third choice," Blaine said.

Kurt chuckled, "That's not surprising to hear, since we obviously have similar taste in many things," he said, flirting with his boyfriend, albeit innocently for Rachel's benefit.

"That just leaves my choice, which is from the film..." Rachel began.

The young couple smirked at one another and together they teasingly remarked, "Funny Girl!"
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It appeared that neither fate nor the weather, was on the teens' side. When the boisterous trio headed outside, they were met with their first obstacle. For all of their ingenious planning, they had somehow forgotten to check the forecast and to their disappointment, they soon discovered that the weather conditions were worse than they had anticipated.

Kurt took one look at the snow and ice before them and whisked Rachel and Blaine back inside for a quick wardrobe adjustment. Once they were better dressed for their environment, the band of friends headed off to Manhattan. The journey was a far cry from a scene from a movie but Kurt for one was enjoying himself immensely.

The subway ride into the heart of the city especially, which Kurt spent chatting away with his two best friends. Kurt had always known that Blaine and Rachel would hit it off but not this easily and by so much. It felt so wonderful to feel so at home now that Blaine was in the picture and it felt like he had always been there. It was only when Blaine's eyes would widen in amazement or he'd make a comment about how neat something looked for Kurt to remember he was basically a visiting tourist. Kurt couldn't wait for the summer to come, though he had no choice but to. At least having Blaine here for the next week would help them get through the wait a bit better.

When Kurt and Blaine started off yet another spurt of playful banter, Rachel went oddly silent as she stared out at the window worriedly. "I really hope this horrible weather let's up by tonight."

Kurt took his attention away from Blaine and his adorable smile. "Oh yeah right, your dads are supposed to come tomorrow."

Rachel eyed Kurt playfully; it seemed even when she was worried she could still tease her roommate. "I bet your concern is more about you not getting to be alone with Blaine than it is about me," Rachel said.

"There's no rule that says it can't be both. I actually am looking forward to seeing them too. Wait until you meet them Blaine, Hiram and Larry Berry are like the exact models of the man I hope to be one day," Kurt rambled. 'Complete with a loving husband and family,' Kurt thought in addition but he chose to keep that comment to himself.

"They're just as excited to see you Kurt, they adore you, as you already know," Rachel said.

"What about me?" Blaine hopefully asked.

"They'll love you so much that I'm sure they'll try to adopt you, since their loving daughter has flown the nest," Rachel answered.

By the time they made it to Manhattan, the weather wasn't showing any signs of letting up. If that weren't discouraging enough, another wrench was thrown into their plans. It wasn't easy for Blaine and Kurt to have to break it to Rachel that there would be no barge ride in front of the Statue of Liberty for them. Nor could the friends have a nice meal at Loeb Boathouse, because it was closed for the day. That only left two of remaining locations and Blaine for one was very determined to go to at least one of them.

Kurt spun around and turned his back on what once had been a fire hall to grin at Rachel and Blaine. "It was touch and go there for a while but here we have it: the Ghost Buster's HQ – right before our very eyes!" he announced.

Blaine grinned at Kurt and his whimsical mood, which was quite catching. It didn't look all that impressive, what with the messy weather, but that didn't dampen Blaine's rising excitement. The three broke out into various poses as they started their little photo shoot and it hardly mattered that they weren't on a tropical beach among bikini clad models and crystal waves.

Kurt was enjoying himself too but after he'd filled a good portion of his phone's memory with photos, he accepted the fact that he was thoroughly chilled to the bone and he really did not want to become just as soaked.

"I hate to say this, but I feel like we've been bitch slapped by Mother Nature," Kurt said, shivering.

It was too miserable for Blaine to laugh at Kurt's joke, proving how even someone as positive as him could fall to the elements. "And it just keeps on getting worse," Blaine muttered.

Rachel blew her noise as she huddled up in between Kurt and Blaine, who didn't mind the intrusion since it added much needed body warmth.

"If we stay out here for much longer we could get stranded, or catch a cold," Rachel said.

Blaine thought that was their cue to go, so he said, "We should head back to Brooklyn while we can."

While Kurt had to accept that the fact that he couldn't do anything about the increasing snow fall, he could at least make sure the day wasn't a total fail. "Before you fall into despair, just because we can't keep sight-seeing doesn't mean everything is ruined."

"What do you have in mind for us to do instead?" Blaine asked with complete adoration in his eyes.

"I would suggest that we could still go to Callbacks but even if it's open, I doubt it will be worth the effort. What this calls for instead is comfort of the best possible kind, so I say we should go get something delicious to eat, then bring back to the apartment so we can have an enjoyable meal together. Even if it's not a famous movie location, with company like us it will still be a night for Blaine to remember," Kurt explained.

"It could still be like a scene out of the movie, if that film were Rent for instance," Rachel said.

Chuckling, Kurt went and added, "True point; except none of us are squatters."

"Let's get some dessert too because the answer to everything – especially happiness – is cake," Blaine said in attempts to be humorous. But for some odd reason, Rachel and Kurt were gaping at him, as if he'd said something incredible. "What?" Blaine asked in puzzlement.

"Blaine, there is no question that you are perfect for Kurt," Rachel said with a beaming smile and matching wide eyes.

"Thank you but why are you saying that all of a sudden, and what's with your faces?" said Blaine, who was growing even more confused.

"Did you teach him that, Kurt?" Rachel whispered to Kurt but he just shook his head.

Blaine frowned at the pair. "Seriously you two, what's going on?" He disliked being out of the loop like this.

It wasn't like Kurt to keep so quiet, it was just that he was so overwhelmed with affection for Blaine that he could barely contain his excitement. "I have said that exact same saying myself so often that it's become a catch phrase of mine. So the fact that you just said it, when I've never told you about it and neither has Rachel..." Kurt said, noting Rachel's nod of confirmation. "... is pretty uncanny." Kurt stopped himself from endlessly gushing about Blaine or how compatible they were. Seriously at this rate, the 'I love you's' were probably just around the corner.

Although Kurt's dreamy expression was something beautiful, they were still standing out in the cold and getting wetter by the minute. Blaine also thought that Rachel and Kurt's reaction to the cake comment was a little silly but he wasn't about to voice those thoughts. "Well it is true, so cake, yes?" Blaine said with big puppy dog eyes.

Kurt laughed at Blaine's adorable antics; he was far too adorable for his own good at times. Blaine went for Kurt's hand and soon they couple – plus Rachel, who walked beside them chatting away – strolled merrily down the street together despite the gloomy atmosphere the weather brought.

Their added quest for cake lead to Kurt taking them all to a bakery well known for its decadence and the cheesecake that Blaine and Kurt purchased was expensive but so delicious looking that they were sure it would be worth the price. But that choice did mean that Rachel, who was a vegan, couldn't have any of it so they were kind enough to make a quick detour to one of her favourite vegan shops. Luckily many of the stores were still open, probably because everyone in the city was running around buying last minute supplies before the weather got really ugly.

A short while later, Rachel stepped out of the store with her dinner in addition to getting her dessert, so the boys could order whatever they wanted she explained. After a quick assessment of the take out options within walking distance, Blaine and Kurt finally decided on going to Gray's Papaya. They would probably have to reheat their food in the oven by the time they got home, but that was no big loss.

Kurt was about to go to the correct bus station when he got a fun idea. "You know what would make this a perfect night?"

"The only thing that comes to mind is coffee but our hands are full," Blaine replied.

"Why don't you spare us the effort and just tell us, Kurt? Before my precious voice suffers from standing out in the cold for so long," Rachel said before clearing her throat.

"To make tonight a truly classy affair, like the ones you parents held Rachel, requires one additional stop..." Kurt started to explain as he scanned the areas for such a place. "... and knowing Manhattan, one should be close at hand, ah yes here we are. Come on," Kurt urged.

Blaine simply let himself be led by the hand towards the unknown location and Rachel hurried after the two to make sure she didn't lose them in the crowd. As Kurt had stated, the trip was a short one and soon Blaine found himself standing in front of a liquor store.

"This is where you wanted to go?" Blaine asked confusingly.

Kurt nodded. "I thought we could get an alcoholic beverage to top off our evening."

Blaine narrowed his eyes and said, "How?"

Kurt shoved his hand into his back pocket so he could bring out his wallet and then what Blaine first thought was his driver's license, until he noticed it said 'Kent Walker' instead of Kurt Hummel.

"Is this a fake ID?" Blaine said, even when it clearly was.

"Yes. Rachel and I got them a month after moving to New York so we could check out the gay bars here. While we've never done anything all that wild and crazy, the fact that I have a convincing fake ID means that I can use to buy us some affordable but hopefully still good enough to drink champagne," Kurt explained.

At first Blaine was tempted to ask Kurt if they should really bother, because it wasn't like they needed alcohol to have a fun night. Then he reminded himself that Rachel, Kurt and himself weren't the type of teenagers who would take things too far. "I guess there's no harm in having a glass or two tonight, as long as we pace ourselves," Blaine said.

"The only risk we might run into is the cashier's not believing that any of us are twenty-one," Rachel chose to bring up.

"Leave it to me, I'm the oldest out of the three of us and what's two years right? Besides I paid top dollar for my ID so I'm not worried. Why don't you two wait outside for me? You might blow my cover," Kurt said and with that he stepped inside before either of his friends could make any type of protest.

Blaine watched him go; feeling slightly annoyed by the fact that Kurt thought he couldn't play it cool but he was quick to forgive. Staying angry at Kurt for such a trivial thing was beyond pointless, though he might try to use it to his advantage later – to get Kurt to make out with him as an apology. Just the thought of that Blaine made relax but his breezy mood quickly turned cold when Kurt stepped out of the door with an attractive looking guy, who he was idly chatting to. He had no idea who he was but Kurt seemed acquainted enough to act quite friendly with him.

"You look ridiculous Blaine, quit acting so jealous," Rachel hissed at him in warning.

Seeing as how that Rachel was right, Blaine willed himself to appear more casual. Soon his usual carefree grin spread across his face as Kurt and his friend made their way over to where he and Rachel were waiting.

"Welcome back, so who's your friend here, Kurt?" Blaine asked, hoping he sounded friendly enough.

Kurt of course saw through Blaine's little charade and mouthed 'relax' to him, adding with a cute smile just to put his boyfriend at ease. "Blaine, this is Thomas," Kurt said, though since Blaine knew who he was he didn't add any other details. "We ran into each other inside and he insisted on meeting you, Blaine."

Thomas shook his head and let out a quiet chuckle. "Um Kurt, actually all I said was that it would be cool to meet him if you both wouldn't mind," he playfully corrected. Thomas then offered his hand to Blaine, who took it and shook his hand in greeting. "I hope you don't mind Blaine, I just wanted to meet the guy who was lucky enough to nab Kurt off the market."

"You make it sound like I'm purchasable goods," Kurt scoffed sarcastically.

Blaine smirked at Kurt; he felt better about Thomas already. To the less perceptive, Kurt's friendly comments might seem flirtatious but Blaine could tell the difference. Thomas and Kurt might have gone on a date, but they were merely friends, just as Kurt had told him earlier.

"No it's totally fine. It's nice to meet you. I'm not sure if Kurt's told you much about me but I'm Blaine and I am pretty darn lucky to have Kurt in my life," Blaine said.

"Thomas, it's nice to meet you Blaine. How long have you been in New York?"

"Just since yesterday and I'm already enjoying my visit, no matter what the city decides to throw at me," Blaine said as he pointed up at sky and the still falling snow.

Rachel shuffled close to Kurt, who was grinning happily to himself. "This is going well," she whispered in his ear.

"I know, but that's Blaine for you, and probably Thomas too," Kurt replied.

"I guess we all had the same idea of how to ride out the storm," Thomas said as he moved his head in the direction of the liquor store behind them.

"There's nothing wrong with that, as long as you know your limits," Kurt countered.

"Perfectly said Kurt, anyway, I'd better head off. Trust me, getting stranded in Manhattan isn't as fun as you would think."

"Thanks for the warning," said Kurt, who waved along with Blaine and Rachel when Thomas headed off on his own.

While there was no reason to, Kurt made a mental note to let Blaine know that he hadn't really hung out with Thomas since their date. Not because he thought that Blaine was jealous of him, since as far as Kurt could tell he wasn't. Of course Blaine didn't know that Kurt had taken Thomas' first kiss but if Thomas himself found no reason to act differently around Kurt then neither would he. Kurt was very happy to avoid any unnecessary drama for once.

"So now that we finally have everything we could possibly need, it's back to Bushwick for us." Blaine announced and with that, the three were off.
____________________________________________________________________________

Short of a miracle, the three weary travellers managed to make it home in one piece. To their surprise when they stepped into the loft the power was still on even. Of course Rachel, Kurt and their guest (aka Blaine), all knew that could change in an instant– with how the wind was picking up. Still, they all strove to enjoy their dinner and it was a good thing that Blaine and Kurt were so stubborn, because Rachel's good mood took a swift decline. Making the biggest job of the boys' night to keep Rachel frown drowning her sorrows in champagne.

"Well I put her to bed and I think she's safely out for the night," Kurt said as he stepped into his bedroom.

Blaine, who had just finished changing into his pyjamas, smiled at Kurt. The way he was talking made it sound like Rachel was their young daughter. Amused, he chose to play along and asked, "Did you read her a story?"

"No, but I did sing her a lullaby."

"I thought you only did that for me," Blaine said, pouting at his boyfriend.

Kurt climbed onto the bed, kissed Blaine on the lips and then guided them both to snuggle up together so they could cuddle.

"Normally I do, except under the most dire circumstances," Kurt explained.

"Got that dire huh?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Rachel kept winning about how her Dads used to sing her to sleep, so I offered to just to get her to settle."

Blaine knew that Kurt was just venting and that Rachel's conduct that night wasn't that bad. If the table were turned and Blaine's plans to meet up with Kurt were suddenly under threat he knew that he would be just as depressed. Dramatic she may be at times but Blaine still was glad he could call Rachel a friend and he got the feeling that theirs was the type of bond that would go the distance.

"You're so good to her," Blaine cooed.

They shared another kiss but stopped themselves after that, since only a short while ago Blaine and Kurt had been making out until they heard Rachel's muffled sobs. Blaine knew if they went at it again, stopping on their own accord might not be as easy. Cuddling together in Kurt's bed was just as enjoyable anyway and Blaine had every intention to savour it while he could.

With Kurt's shoulder as his pillow, Blaine let out a content sigh. It was perfect – almost – and then Kurt made it so, when he draped his hand over Blaine's belly.

"So that was Thomas," Blaine said all of a sudden.

Smilingly, Kurt repeated, "That was Thomas."

"He's pretty handsome."

"Maybe, but he's no Blaine Anderson."

"You're just saying that," Blaine said.

It seemed that Kurt would have to convince his boyfriend -- not that he minded. "Thomas is attractive, interesting and kind, or that's what I've gathered from the few times we've spoken. He has everything going for him, but when it came to us, as in him and I, there was one thing he wasn't: he wasn't you, Blaine. So I told him that at the end of our date and he took it well. I shouldn't have gone out with him at all honestly. Because it's always been you Blaine, you are the one who I want to be with."

After hearing such a heartfelt confession, Blaine couldn't help but sit up so he and Kurt could share a tender kiss. Kurt quickly responded to Blaine's touch and at first Blaine was too distracted by Kurt's skillful mouth to notice that Kurt's kisses were growing desperate. Then when Blaine came down from his high long enough for his senses to kick back in, he noticed how Kurt was trembling. Worry rushed through Blaine, mixed with confusion. Kurt was crying and it was clear to Blaine that they weren't tears of joy.

"What is it Kurt, what's wrong?"

Kurt's shoulder's wouldn't stop shaking, nor could he get himself to cease crying. "I don't know what's come over me," he said.

"Actually I think you do you Kurt, so why don't you tell me?" Blaine countered, albeit gently.

Kurt took a deep breath to calm himself, because Blaine was right, there was no reason for Kurt to hold himself back. "I'm so happy that you're here with me now Blaine, and I wanted to stay happy but I guess that just wasn't possible. I'm scared that when my vacation is over and we have to part again.... I won't be able to let you go. This is only the second day since you've arrived but I've already gotten so used to you being here. So I'm afraid that as the days pass it will become harder and harder for me to be alone again. It was easier when you hadn't been to New York yet, hadn't become a part of my new life here. You fit in so well, it's like you've always been with me. I keep thinking things like: what if I discover that I can't fall asleep without you beside me?"

The only thing Blaine was sure of was that he shouldn't coddle Kurt, especially not when he shared many of the same fears as him. Blaine touched the sides of Kurt's cheek to wipe his tears away with his thumb, kissing the damp skin. He had been trying so hard to take it one day at a time, to focus on the positive and not think about how it would all come to an end eventually.

"Let's sit up for a second so we can talk about this, okay?" Blaine said.

Kurt sighed, "Okay."

Blaine pulled himself into a sitting position and he crossed his legs. He flashed Kurt a nervous glance. "To be honest Kurt, there have been many times that I've gone 'I don't want to wait. I want to move to New York now instead of in the summer.' I even looked online to see if I could possibly transfer to a school here so I could spend the last term of my senior year with you. But I know that's not the answer, as much as I wanted it to be. I promised myself that I wouldn't run away anymore, so I can just abandon my life in Ohio and become a part of your life."

Kurt smiled at Blaine and after hearing him share his feelings, Kurt in turn felt more able to do the same.

"It's not going to be easy when we have to back to our usual lives. I know it's gonna feel like I'm losing a part of myself when I have to head back to New York on my own once the vacation is over. But this is still where I belong," Kurt said.

"I know you do Kurt, without question."

"I think you do too, Blaine. I guess that's why it's so hard to accept that you can't stay here yet."

"I know the feeling."

Since they were still able to be together for a while yet, Kurt chose to take advantage of that by hugging Blaine tightly. He felt Blaine shudder and Kurt closed his eyes as he took a moment to let everything he was feeling sink in. Once Kurt felt like he had recovered enough, he went on with his attempts to comfort each other.

"Try to remember that you wanted to come to New York long before you met me Blaine, okay? I know it helps me when I remember that. Because it means there's no added pressure on us. You're not just moving here to be with me, you have your own dreams to make, your own goals that are separate from mine – although a number of them are similar. There's also the fact that we are both on vacation and have all the time in the world for one another. That will change when you do move here for good. We're going to have our own lives to deal with, and trust me, that is a challenge onto its own...." Kurt said, until he realized he wasn't making much sense and he groaned. "Sorry, I swear I was going somewhere with this."

"I know what you were trying to say," Blaine said assuredly.

Kurt was able to crack a weak smile. "Oh good, at least one of us does."

"What you're basically trying to say is that I can't let you be my safety net, Kurt. That we should support each other of course but not to the point where we depend on each other so much that it become unhealthy. You're right, I have wanted to move here, for a number of years and if I have any hope to, then I will have to give it my all. No short cuts. I need to crack down and study, and do everything I can to make sure my application to NYADA is so amazing that they couldn't think of rejecting me," Blaine said.

"You also have a glee club to lead all the way to Nationals, Blaine, so try not to forget that."

Blaine grinned. Yes it was true that Blaine wanted his senior year of high school to end with the Warblers getting their first National win in a decade. He'd spent the last two years establishing himself in the club and his efforts had been paid off when he was given the coveted lead vocal position. It was a lot of responsibility but Blaine loved the challenge it brought, and the sense fellowship. Dalton was the first place Blaine had felt safe enough to come out and embrace who he was on the inside. There he had slowly gained his confidence as an out gay man. He owed it to Dalton and his friends there to see his senior year to the end, and not only that -- he wanted to.

"Hey, where'd you go there, Blaine?"

Blaine blinked and muttered, "Sorry, I was getting lost in thought." Now that Kurt had his total attention again, he leaned in and kissed Kurt softly on the lips.

"Try not to go too far from me Honeybee, at least not yet," Kurt teased.

Blaine's hands moved to grasp the back of Kurt's neck. He looked at him with so much adoration that Kurt fluttered his eyes at him – which in turn made Blaine's heart skip a beat. For one split second he felt the urge to tell Kurt that he loved him but it still felt too soon for that.

"Never," Blaine breathed instead, kissing him once more. "Even when I leave this place Starlight, I will never leave you."

Sometimes Kurt wasn't emotionally capable of conveying what he felt inside with mere words. This was one of those rare instances, though since he'd met Blaine they were becoming more frequent. Kurt was far too choked up to even attempt to say what was in his heart, so he didn't even try. Instead he chose to do what often worked before.

Oceans apart, day after day
And I slowly go insane
I hear your voice on the line
But it doesn't stop the pain

Hearing Kurt's soft singing tugged at Blaine's heart strings and he was more than happy to use a song to express their feelings for one another. So when Kurt didn't begin the second verse, Blaine quickly caught on what his boyfriend had in mind. He placed a hand on Kurt's cheek and the vulnerability he saw on Kurt's beautiful face moved him deeply. Seeing the visible proof that Kurt trusted Blaine so much to let his walls down like this; it was hard to wrap his head around.

If I see you next to never
But how can we say forever

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

Then Blaine gave his own signal – in the form of a gentle nod – for Kurt to go again.

I took for granted, all the times
That I thought would last somehow
I hear the laughter, I taste the tears
But I can't get near you now

It didn't matter to either of them that they were very near at the moment, because context wasn't everything. The song still spoke to them on many levels and as time went on, the lyrics could come to resemble their lives at bit more. Regardless of that, singing to one another in soft almost whispered voices felt very morally uplifting. No words of love were needed to make the moment even that more special either.

Kurt took Blaine's hand in his as he guided them both to lie down on the bed. He rested his head against the pillow; he hadn't taken his eyes off of Blaine for even a second.

Blaine sung next. Oh, can't you see it, baby

So Kurt went and replied with. You've got me goin' crazy

And then they sung together:

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks
I will be right here waiting for you

I wonder how we can survive
This romance
But in the end if I'm with you
I'll take the chance

Oh, can't you see it, baby
You've got me goin' crazy

Both of them knew that they couldn't literally sing their troubles away. Time was still moving and the next few weeks would go by as usual – just hopefully not too quickly.

Wherever you go, whatever you do
I will be right here waiting for you
Whatever it takes or how my heart breaks

Blaine turned over on his side so Kurt could shuffled up close to spoon him, wrapping his arms around Blaine's waist.

It was late and Blaine was so tired that he wasn't sure he could get through another line of the song. His eyes fluttered as he fought to keep them open. He heard Kurt chuckle lightly, then came the click of Kurt's lamp turning off.

Just as Blaine was starting to drift off, he heard the gentle whisper of Kurt singing the final two lines.

I will be right here waiting for you
Waiting for you

A smile spread across Blaine's face; it was the most perfect thing for Blaine to fall asleep to. "Luv you..." Blaine mumbled sleepily, not realizing he had spoken at all, or else he would have never dared too.

Luckily for Blaine, Kurt never heard the confession, because he had already fallen asleep.