"Daddy!" she cried, "wake up, Daddy!"

Blaine blinked and stared up at his daughter with eyes that very much wanted to close again. "Mia sweetheart, what are you doing out of your room?"

She shrugged at him and Blaine groaned. "Well, I am up now, Missy," he muttered and gently dropped her on the bed, on the empty spot where Nick should have been.

Nick was mad at him and Blaine didn't really blame him, although he did wish that Nick had been just a bit more understanding about why Blaine couldn't join him for his mother's anniversary party.

He'd been working for the Hummels for a week, and he hated how much strife it had already brought his family. It had all begun with Amie on the day Blaine headed in to talk to Finn about his apparent alcoholism.

Five days earlier…

Blaine was late, sticky, and slightly damp as he stepped out of the elevator to the foyer. He dropped his briefcase on the ground almost as once and then took off his suit jacket, before picking it back up and heading into the rest of the house. When Maria appeared he almost breathed a sigh of relief.

"Where's Finn?" he asked.

"The family is at breakfast, Mr. Anderson. They were not expecting you for another hour."

Blaine stared at her. "What?"

"Aren't you supposed to come in at nine?" she asked.

Blaine nodded. "Yes. It's almost nine thirty."

Maria pointed at the grandfather clock in the living room and Blaine closed his eyes. It was only 8:30. He looked at his watch and sighed. It was definitely off by an hour.

"Damn it," he said.

"Can I help with anything?" Maria asked, looking pointedly at his previously white shirt which was now stained with the coke someone on the subway had been drinking and spilled on him.

Blaine deposited his things on a near table. "Any way you can have that washed for me or something?"

"I can send for a new shirt, no problem," She said and then added, "perhaps a tie as well. I'll consult Mr. Kurt."

Then she tapped her foot and extended her hand and Blaine unbuttoned his shirt and handed it to her. The white undershirt was stained as well, but he kept it on for decency's sake. It was a mixture of clingy and stiff on him.

"You can go into the dining room," she told him, "I'm sure Mr. Hummel won't mind."

Blaine shrugged and left his things where he'd put them, walking to the dining room where all the Hummels were seated around the table, including one Amie Hummel. He'd actually almost forgotten about her.

"Blainers!" she cried the moment he appeared and practically leaped out of her chair to throw her arms around him and squeeze him.

Amie was actually shorter than Blaine. She was absolutely tiny, and she'd always been like this. It was why Blaine had liked her for so long growing up: she made him feel taller. Still, she was somehow really strong.

"I couldn't wait until I got to see you, Blaine," she began, "I'm so happy you're here."

Everyone else looked on with mild amusement. Rachel actually giggled.

"You're early this morning, Blaine," Burt said, "but not to worry, there is always a place here for you. Have you had breakfast yet?"

Blaine hadn't, unless a burnt piece of toast counted and half a cup of lukewarm coffee. He shook his head.

"There's plenty, Honey, help yourself," Carole said and Amie steered him towards the empty chair next to hers.

"When did you get in Amie?" Blaine asked, "I didn't know you were back."

Kurt interrupted before she could answer, "she showed up yesterday, completely unannounced. I'm surprised you didn't see her last night."

"Blainers was here last night?" Amie pouted at Kurt, "you didn't tell me."

He shrugged.

Blaine had grabbed a bagel and was in the process of putting cream cheese on it. He looked between the two. Kurt and Amie had always looked a lot alike which for Blaine had always been strange because Kurt was so often compared to his mother and yet Amie was his cousin on his father's side.

They had the same eyes, the same pallid quality to their skin. Even their noses were almost exactly the same. Only on their hair did they differ. Amie's hair was lighter and as of more recently a few darker and lighter highlights. It was why he'd chosen her.

Blaine finished spreading the cream cheese and bit into one of the halves.

"But what are you doing back?" He asked after chewing and drinking a few gulps of the freshly squeezed orange juice Carole had poured for him.

"Visiting. Thinking of staying. I was bored." After every answer she lifted her eyebrow. It was a hint.

"Good to have you back then," he said simply.

Soon after, Amie was pouring herself coffee in a thermos. "Well, I have to get going. I'll be back after lunch."

She kissed Burt on the cheek, hugged and kissed Carole, and waved at everyone else. Then she was gone.

"That girl worries me," Burt said as soon as she was gone and Blaine thought that for some reason he was addressing him, "she might need someone to keep an eye on her."

Kurt nodded his assent. "I think she's hiding something."

Blaine's breath caught, but he coughed into his napkin to try and hide his shock and then he grabbed the glass of orange juice again. Kurt was onto them. He couldn't find out about this. How pathetic would he think Blaine was once he found out? Blaine needed to talk to Amie as soon as possible. First he needed to deal with just about everything else that his job didn't actually entail.

Finn had been rather quiet since he'd gotten there, in his own world in a way, and not even Rachel seemed to be there mentally, too focused on her tablet and muttering to herself. Shelby and Mike weren't even at the table.

"Finn if it's at all possible, I'd like a word with you," Blaine said as he was finishing his bagel.

Kurt shook his head imperceptibly, and kind of frantically.

Finn didn't even react.

"It won't be necessary, Blaine," Burt said.

"Oh."

Truthfully Blaine was glad he didn't have to talk to Finn. He hadn't really known what he was going to say exactly and not having to worry about keeping a past with his mother apart from his new job was a blessing. He got up from the table.

"Well, then, if you'll excuse me, then I must go find Maria about my shirt."

It was only then that they seemed to notice he was just in his undershirt, an undershirt that was stained.

Kurt stood up too. "All fashion emergencies should be directed to me," he stated, "come on, we'll find you something to wear." He paused to look at him, "I might have just the thing."

Blaine didn't doubt it. He could remember more than a handful of times that Kurt had managed to fix his wardrobe with just moments of notice. Of course, then, they'd been dating and Blaine was half convinced that Kurt had kept a part of his closet for clothes he bought for Blaine for the instances when he might need to dress him.

"Maria said she would send someone out to get me something," he told Kurt even though he knew it'd be futile.

"Nonsense, they won't get anything right especially if she sent that girl, Helga. Worse than Rachel, she makes her maid outfit look horrendous. Come on."

- - -

"You always looked good in purple," Kurt said softly, and fixed his collar over the tie.

Kurt had gotten him into one of his own undershirts over which he'd given a dark purple shirt. The tie was mostly green with some blues and purples. At first glance Blaine hadn't wanted anything to do with it, but Kurt had insisted.

"Green and purple go together. Think back to that art class we had to take. Added to that, the green brings out your eyes when combined with the purple, it's subtle. And over all it goes well with the suit because luckily you are wearing grey. The cut on the jacket is fantastic, I hope you know. Does wonders for your shoulders. Now, if only I could get you to let the curls out of that gel trap."

Kurt walked around to stand behind him so Blaine could see himself in the mirror. He rested his hands on Blaine's shoulders and would have dared to put his chin on Blaine's shoulder if he didn't think it was crossing a line. Still standing just behind this man brought him back to other times.

"This is familiar, isn't it?"

Blaine nodded. "Yeah," he agreed, "I think you'll be disappointed to find out I've botched up fashion wise quite a bit since…"

It didn't need to be said.

"I'll have to get you back to it," Kurt said with a small smile, "if that's okay, I mean. I don't want to over step."

Blaine shrugged. "You're my friend. But, I'll have you know that I don't actually wear more than these suits now."

Kurt rolled his eyes and walked around him again, analyzing. "Better than anyone you have to know that any time is a time for fashion."

"Very true."

His phone rang, then, and Blaine reached for it at once. "Amie," he told Kurt, "and here I thought my gig wouldn't be full of bailing any of you out of trouble before noon."

Kurt made a motion for him to go on and he watched him as Blaine walked out to the hall to answer the call. For a moment he considered trying to eavesdrop but shook the thought. He knew, or at least from what Amie had told him, that she was out catching up with a few friends and then doing an audition she hadn't elaborated on. Neither of those things required that Blaine be called. There was something going on and although he wanted more than anything to find out, eavesdropping was not going to be the way he went about it.

He had to be stealthy about it, and eavesdropping never got anyone anywhere. Instead, he needed to observe them. Blaine and Amie had practically grown up with him and Kurt knew them both well. No matter how much they wanted to, they weren't going to keep up this secret for long.

"Well, I have to go, Kurt," Blaine said from the door, "but call if you need anything. Apparently everyone else seems to think I'm the answer to every problem. Thanks for the shirt and thanks for talking to Finn."

Kurt nodded. "You're welcome. When I found out they were asking you to do that I just…I couldn't let it happen. Not after everything."

Blaine nodded. "Thank you," he repeated.

"It shouldn't have been something they could ask of you. My dad knows better than that but he just…your father did everything for us. He had his boundaries but there weren't many and I do worry, Blaine, that they will push yours. Don't let them."

He nodded again.

Kurt stepped forward. "Come here." He opened his arms.

Blaine didn't seem to even hesitate before he was stepping into the arms that had once been his best and only comfort. Kurt held him loosely, but with the same kind of care. Kurt could barely breathe. Blaine was in his arms again, even if it was a meaningless hug. But still, there was his strong body, his scent, and even the weight of him. When Blaine pulled back, Kurt wanted to scream.

"I'll see you later," Blaine muttered.

Kurt could barely even nod.

- - -

Nick glanced at the clock. Blaine should have been home three hours ago, but as had been the case since he'd started working with the Hummels, he was late. Mia who had refused to go to bed without seeing her daddy, was curled up asleep on his side in his and Blaine's bed. Nick pushed back a bit of her hair from her face. Mia was beautiful. Nick had never actually met her birth mother, but he imagined that she must have been very beautiful too.

The door out in the hall opened and Nick heard Blaine walking around and then he was standing in the doorway.

"Hi," he said, "did she…was she trying to stay up for me?"

Nick nodded and slowly maneuvered himself away from their daughter. "Fell asleep of course, but she misses you, Blaine."

Blaine nodded and leaned over her on the bed, blowing air onto her face.

Nick almost tried to make him stop, but when Mia awoke he knew she'd needed that. She shot up, arms wrapped tightly around Blaine's neck as she tried to stifle a yawn.

"Daddy!"

Blaine picked her up and held her tightly. "I've missed you, my little princess."

Mia blinked at him groggily, now that the excitement at seeing Blaine again had waned, she was ready to fall asleep.

"Song, please, Daddy," she said.

"Of course."

Nick followed them to Mia's room, but he remained by the door as Blaine put her to bed and sang softly. Mia was asleep almost at once, and Blaine kissed her, made sure she was properly tucked in, and joined Nick.

"Did you eat?"

"Yup. I was with Burt. We had dinner with the family."

Nick tried not to show his annoyance. Of course he'd been at dinner with the Hummels, never mind that his daughter needed him. Staying late for work was one thing, but for a stupid dinner with the family, it was the kind of thing that Nick did not see as necessary.

"You couldn't get out of it?"

"Not really," Blaine said and headed back to their room, "I'm going to take a shower really quick, I'll be right out."

Nick shrugged and walked to their bed, peeling back the covers and getting into his side. It hadn't even been a full week of him working for the Hummels and already things were changing and not for the better.

When Blaine got back, hair wet and devoid of all the gel Blaine tended to lather it in, Nick smiled a bit. Despite it all, he did have to remember that Blaine did come home to him at night and that he was trying his hardest to not get sucked back into that world. It really wasn't Blaine's fault that the Hummels couldn't do anything on their own.

"I got a call today," Blaine said as he turned off the lights, leaving on just the lamp on the bedside table on his side, on.

"Don't you always," Nick retorted.

It was a rare night that the phone wasn't ringing at every possible second. He was thinking of the night before when he and Blaine had finally gotten to bed and Blaine had been sucking on his earlobe and whispering the dirtiest of things in between kisses and they'd been interrupted by a call from Rachel who needed Blaine to look over her new contract for the revival of some role or other.

"It was the police," Blaine continued, and reached for Nick's hand as if to say sorry for what they hadn't gotten to do the night before because after getting a call from Rachel Berry the mood really was ruined, "they found a watertight box with my father's briefcase. I have to go pick it up tomorrow morning."

"During whatever time you're allotted you mean," Nick said.

Blaine sighed but nodded.

Nick pulled at his arm so Blaine was laying down and he could wrap his arms around his fianc�. "Did they say anything else about his plane?"

"No. I think the woman I talked to wants to talk about it tomorrow. I kind of thought…I don't know…I thought it was over. I mean, we had that whole service for him even though his body was never recovered and Carole and Rachel have stopped wearing black and now it's just back out there again. Do I even want to know what's in that suitcase if there's even anything important?"

Nick didn't say anything. He didn't know what to say exactly. Blaine had never been one to really truly seek out comfort. It was strange in their relationship. Blaine had always been strong even when everything was going wrong. It was only this, his father's death that had brought Blaine seeking Nick to hold him together. Nick didn't like thinking about the only other time that Blaine had actively asked to be held and allowed to break down.

So, Nick kissed Blaine's shoulder and his neck, slowly feeling some of the tension leaving Blaine. He trailed kisses up his throat, sucking at the spot just below Blaine's jaw that always made him shudder, until he reached his lips and then he angled his own into a gentle kiss that turned hard and passionate.

Blaine reached a hand up to cup Nick's face, holding him steady until he rolled them over so he was on top, legs tangled as the sheets fell off of their bodies. He grinded down into Nick and smirked at the gasp, when he pulled back his face.

Nick stared up at him. In the light of the lamp Nick could see only his right side lit up, his left darker and left in shadow. Blaine grinded down again, making sure that their groins were aligned and the bulges separated by the thin material of their boxers.

Nick tugged Blaine's shirt off, throwing it aside. He'd seen Blaine's body a thousand times, but he never once ceased to be amazed by the contours and hard panes, by the muscled arms that were an entire contradiction to Blaine's diet and lack of exercise, and his flat lean stomach. He ran a hand through the chest hair, pulling. Blaine groaned.

"Your shirt," he groaned, "off."

Nick acquiesced, pulling it off hastily with well learned practice. Blaine leaned forward, draping himself over Nick and kissing along his collarbone. Nick threw his head back. Blaine continued, licking and nipping, making a trail to one nipple, which he lapped at before bringing it into his mouth.

Nick shuddered.

Blaine did the same to the other nipple and then continued on, layering kisses down his stomach, and swirling his tongue in Nick's belly button. He nipped gently at a hip bone. Nick did his best to help Blaine remove the shorts. Blaine took off his boxers too, and took just a split second to look down, smile, and then inch forward so that their cocks brushed together, finally.

Both groaned.

Nick would never get used to this feeling of having Blaine so close like this, of having his hot sweaty body right over him, their skin brushing together. It was indescribable. Still, nothing compared to having Blaine actually be inside him, or to be inside Blaine. Nick could also never be sure which he'd like better. He wanted Blaine inside him.

"Want you inside me," he groaned out just as Blaine wrapped a hand around his cock, aligning it with his own, "oh my god."

Blaine smirked, but he moaned when he grinded down again. Nick lifted his legs to wrap around Blaine, pulling him even closer.

"Please. Inside."

"Yes. God, yes."

Nick reached to open the bedside drawer himself and pulled out the hall full bottle of lube and a condom from the box next to it. Blaine took it from him at once. Nick couldn't remember the last time he'd bottomed. He dropped his legs from Blaine's waist when Blaine nudged him so he could place a pillow under his hips, angling him upward a bit.

"So hot like this," Blaine said into his ear, kissing down his jaw to his lips, "I'll fuck you so good."

A hand slipped downward to grab Nick's length, teasing in its touch. Blaine let go of him a second later. Nick groaned in protest. What was Blaine doing?

Blaine opened the lube and had some on his fingers. Nick watched him and Blaine looked up, meeting his eyes. Nick whimpered and moved his hips up, a sign that he wanted it and he was ready.

"Shush," Blaine whispered and knelt down closer, dropping his face onto Nick's thigh, moving one hand against his lips and inching upward until he was at his ass.

A finger circled his entrance. Nick whimpered again. He wanted that digit inside already. Blaine poured more lube and then he pushed in, slowly. Nick wanted more. When the second finger went in he sighed breathily and made a guttural sound, rocking against Blaine's hand.

"More, more, more," he chanted.

It was amazing, those fingers rubbing against this most intimate part of his body. Sex with Blaine was like nothing else Nick had ever experienced. It wasn't at all like anyone else Nick had ever taken to his bed. No one made Nick feel the way Blaine did.

"Oh my god! Yes! Right there." Blaine had crooked his fingers right on the spot and he kept rubbing at it.

Nick did his best to not thrash.

"Please…I want you…please, more…"

Blaine pulled his fingers out and he smirked at Nick as he put the condom on and lubed himself up. Nick watched, eyes wild from the earlier stimulation. He was more than ready for more, for the actual event, as it were.

And there, there was Blaine, the head of his cock pushing in ever so slowly, stretching him in a familiar way that could never ever be anything less than amazing.

"I love you," Blaine said, "so much, Nick." And then he was fully sheathed inside.

There was pain, but then there was always pain, but Blaine remained still until Nick told him to move, and then it was magic. In and out. Gentle at first, and then harder.

Nick was incoherent, muttering words that didn't make sense and calling Blaine's name in between as he moved his hips to Blaine in the rhythm they'd set. God, he loved this. He never ever wanted it to end.

- - -

Kurt slung an arm around Amie's shoulders and giggled. Even after years of trying every kind of alcohol in an experiment to figure just how his body would react, one thing remained the same, that he was just as much a light weight as ever.

"Last time…last time we were here you didn't drink anything," Kurt said and didn't really slur as much as he swayed on the spot, "yous gots a drink now Amelia…"

"Don't call me that," she hissed and wrapped her arms around his middle, "come on, Kurtsie, I think it's time we got home."

"Can I have a Blaine in my bed?"

Amie frowned at him. "Oh, no, honey, no," she whispered.

Kurt frowned right back at her, "Why not? I want a cuddle buddy."

"I'll cuddle with you. Come on."

"Not the same. I…I know he won't be mine again. It hurts, Amie, it hurts so much. I'm…he has Nick and his baby. Oh, that's funny…her name's Amelia too, you know. Blaine was telling Carole. Funny. Didn't even realize before."

Amie stopped still. "What?" she asked.

"Don't…don't flatter yourself that he named her after you…he probably didn't, but it's odd. They call her Mia, because she's theirs. Mia. I think he knows Italian. Is that Italian? I don't know."

Amie led him out of the club. The doorman smiled at them and asked if they wanted a cab.

"Driver should be right outside, thank you," Amie said and continued with Kurt towards where Clark had dropped them off earlier and she pulled out her cell phone.

Clark picked up at once. "I'll be right there, Miss Amie," he said.

"Thank you, Clark. I'll keep an eye on him."

Kurt had sat down on the ground, crossed legged and Amie was sure he would never have done that if he wasn't so drunk.

"It was supposed to be us," Kurt continued, "me and him with a baby, a beautiful baby. He didn't think I wanted one, but I did. I do. But back then, I wanted to live, to focus on everything but being bogged down by a child. It wasn't that I didn't want that life, I just wanted everything else too." He began to cry suddenly. Amie hadn't seen that coming.

"You didn't try to explain," she said, "he was so heartbroken after Paris, but he would have listened if you tried."

Kurt shook his head. "No. Nothing would have changed. I never told…I think maybe my dad knows…"

Amie crouched down next to him. It hurt her legs to be in the position for so long, but she needed to look at him, because he seemed to have sobered up some, or gotten serious enough because of what he wanted to say next.

"What, Kurt?"

"I said no," Kurt said, "I threw it back at him and I said no. After he spent months saving up and days trying to get up the courage, and after he found the perfect one."

Comprehension dawned on her. But it couldn't be possible. Blaine would have told her when they made the deal; he would have mentioned it, wouldn't he have? She didn't understand.

"I said no," Kurt said finally, hanging his head and letting the tears drip down from his face to the pavement below, "when he asked me to marry him."