Chapter 9

Sending out queries whether it was possible for members of the Glee club to come to West Point, Kurt realized that few people knew about Finn's involvement in the blast. Apparently, they either didn't follow news very carefully, or didn't follow it at all.

'Just give me the date, dude, I'll be there,' was Puck's answer – after he'd recovered from the shock that he had no idea about his high school best buddy's condition.

'I was always saying he would blow himself up the first chance he got,' said Santana with her usual sensitivity, and much less surprise than Puck. 'Sure, I'll come.'

Although Kurt was convinced Santana would never admit to that, he knew she still was very grateful to Finn for the support he'd given her after she'd been forced to come out. Santana's insults were just her twisted way of showing affection. Her heart was as big as her mouth.

Others were as sympathetic and supportive, but not quite sure they could come. Apart from Brittany, for whom Santana had already vouched to be there.

Now, there was nothing left for Kurt to do, but find out if his undertaking could succeed at all.

'Hi, do you have a minute?,' he asked Sean the next time he visited the hospital.

Sean lifted his head, and smiled when he saw Kurt.

'A minute, not a second more, unfortunately,' he said apologetically.

'Um, is there any way of organizing a concert on hospital grounds?,' Kurt blurted out.

'A concert? With microphones and musicians?'

Kurt nodded hastily.

'I was thinking I could put something together for my brother- and other soldiers like him- to cheer them up, show them they have people who are there for them, you know? And I hoped that there would be some place here to do that- or at least some equipment-'

Sean took a moment to consider it.

'Well, we have a lecture hall. The stage is tiny, but I don't think you could get an orchestra in here anyway, could you?'

Kurt chuckled.

'No, I'm not that good. I would just need a stage that could hold some six or seven people, and maybe a keyboard or something. What about mikes or amps?'

'I guess there might be something, I don't really know exactly. But I suppose my CO should sign up on this before you seriously get into organizing anything.'

'CO?'

'My commanding officer? The guy who rules this place? You really should get your army lingo down,' teased Sean.

With a slight wave of warmth running to his cheeks, Kurt smiled shyly. He could swear Sean was flirting with him.

'Could you maybe help me with that?,' he asked, making puppy eyes at Specialist O'Donnell.

***

Blaine soon became a frequent guest in the Hummel-Berry household, and as frequent a happy guinea pig for Kurt's cooking. When they weren't having coffee and dinner in Greenpoint, Blaine and Kurt often stayed late at NYADA, rehearsing together; to his surprise, the more he sang in Blaine's presence, the less inhibited and embarrassed Kurt felt in those private rehearsal sessions. And Blaine could hardly contain his bliss whenever he got a chance to hear Kurt sing. He almost felt like a silly smitten teenage girl, and wouldn't have admitted to anybody the apparent presence of butterflies in his stomach whenever he heard Kurt's voice or saw his face.

And Rachel often excused herself from spending time with them, claiming she had stuff to do for school. In reality, she didn't want to be a third wheel, and left the two alone on purpose. If she was staying home, with Kurt and Blaine in another room, she eavesdropped on them sometimes. Most times she was disappointed by the content of their conversations, but their bantering and teasing made her smile. Other times she heard them complimenting one another, or sharing more meaningful opinions or memories.

That kept her hopeful. Because she couldn't recall Kurt being this happy around anyone, never in the years they'd known each other.

With Chandler, Kurt was content. Rachel could see back then how Kurt's tough experiences seemed to dull when he was around Chandler. But they never went away completely, not for a second. They never did, constantly lurking somewhere in the shadows behind Kurt's eyes.

And on one of the evenings when Blaine was staying for dinner, Rachel realized that something had changed in her best friend. It must have happened some time prior already, but she never noticed. So she watched Kurt carefully that night.

And finally she saw it. His eyes were brighter than ever. Despite all the dark stuff that was happening to them now, he seemed more alive than ever before.

The shadows behind his eyes were gone.

***

'So you're saying you got the green light?,' asked Blaine, cradling his coffee cup in both his hands.

Having coffee in his mouth, Kurt nodded.

'Yeah, everything's settled,' he added. 'The Colonel was actually pretty excited I suggested that. At least he seemed that way, when I got used to the fact that he looks kinda scary.' Kurt shrugged, remembering Colonel Wolfe's face that appeared to have frozen in an irremovable menacing expression, and that bore a deep scar cutting diagonally through his whole left cheek. When he had entered the Colonel's office, Kurt had thought that he really resembled a wolf.

'What's the date, then?'

'Black Friday. Some families will probably be visiting for Thanksgiving, mine will for sure, so I guess it's all fine. And there's still enough time to rehearse.'

Blaine took another sip from his cup, and frowned.

'But wouldn't you rather be shopping on Black Friday, or something?'

'Oh, sweetie, I know better than to go anywhere near a mall on Black Friday,' replied Kurt, faking solemnity. 'I'm a much better shopper than those poor masses of sale hunters.' He tried to keep a straight face, before his lips twitched and he laughed, and Blaine joined in.

'It's amazing how you could get that scary colonel guy to agree to that, and start putting everything together, all by yourself,' Blaine said, once their laughter died out.

'Oh, it wasn't all me, Sean helped me with the Colonel.'

Blaine's eyebrows shot up.

'Sean?,' he asked, his voice suddenly weaker.

'Yeah, he's a nurse at Keller.'

'A nurse, huh?'

Kurt didn't seem to notice an apparent deterioration of Blaine's mood.

'He's really sweet. And he offered to lend a hand before the show and help set up everything.,' Kurt blabbered on. 'It's so nice of him!'

'Sure, that's great.'

A pang of jealousy in Blaine's chest started to become a spinal tap needle of envy boring deep into his heart.

Unexpectedly, Rachel came out of her room, heading for the kitchen.

'Don't mind me, guys, just getting some OJ,' she chirruped, waving her hand dismissively, and eyeing Blaine with curiosity.

While she was pouring the juice into a glass, she glanced at Kurt, who was still stuck in his happy Sean bubble, oblivious to the sudden awkward silence on Blaine's part. But Rachel did not fail to notice that Blaine fixed his gaze in the rug covering the floor, and pursed his lips.

***

Having said goodbye to Blaine that evening, Kurt went to his room and settled comfortably on his bed with his computer in his lap. Everyone had to be informed when the show was to take place, so he figured the earlier he starts sending out e-mails, the better.

Before he managed to as much as consider who there was to notify, Rachel stormed into his room and jumped onto the bed next to him.

'Yes, Rachel, you can come in and lie on my bed.'

'So what about that Sean guy, huh?,' she asked, ignoring his remark.

'Eavesdrop much?'

'Oh, come on, Kurtie, I'm your best friend, aren't I? And best friends' main use is being able to talk to them about guys. So, what about that Sean guy?'

Kurt rolled his eyes, setting his laptop aside.

'Nothing about him. He's a nurse at Finn's ward, he's nice, and he helped me get the Colonel on my side. He's his uncle or something.'

'But he's gay, right?'

'Yeah, so what?'

Rachel sighed, and looked Kurt in the eye.

'Nothing. Just be careful. You don't want anyone to get hurt, do you?'

'What? No, of course not!' He frowned. 'What are you even talking about?'

She shook her head, getting up.

'Nothing. I just don't like my friends getting hurt.'

With that, she disappeared behind the door, leaving Kurt thoroughly confounded.