It was late in the evening and Kurt fell asleep while cuddling with Blaine who was watching Desperate Housewives on the television. Neither of them heard when Burt entered the apartment nor were they aware of the surprised expression on his face.

Burt stood at the entrance, still holding the key inside the door and examining his living room: Blaine, the boy he had gotten to know under strange circumstances was sitting there and Kurt's head was lying with his eyes closed resting on Blaine's groin. And he thought Kurt told him this stuff…

That Blaine boy is turning around now and looking at him, considering if he should get up and risk waking Kurt. He slowly places a pillow under Kurt's head as he moves towards the Burt and offers him a hand shake even though they've met before.

Burt dropped the keys on the rack and shook his hand politely.

"Burt Hummel. We've met before" his handshake was very fierce and strong, Blaine compelled himself to stretch his muscles too and project back self-confidence.

"Blaine Anderson," he let out a small smile and turned to look at the sleeping boy "I'll go wake him up."

"No, Blaine. That's fine. Leave him be," Burt lead him to the kitchen and beckoned Blaine to sit in front of him, just like he used to do with his own son.

Blaine couldn't decide what to tell Burt, so he said the obvious "I'm dating your son for…two weeks. I hope I'll gain your trust." he grinned in discomfort.

"Blaine," Burt spoke while taking off his hat and placing it on the table "I trust my son and the choices that he makes. That's all." Blaine wondered why that didn't make him feel any calmer.

"Well, it-it's late now." Blaine gets up before Burt can get to more personal questions "Maybe some other day we can have a nice dinner where I could introduce myself to the whole Hummel-Hudson family, and then get to know you too."

"Yes, yes. We should do that," he sighed.

Blaine nodded and got up to open the fridge "Um...Kurt and I…I mean, mostly Kurt made Ravioli" he took the box out "do you want some?"

"You cook Blaine?" Burt turned the question around.

"N-not really. Only in case of emergency. You know, when there's no food at all. Was that my audition as a boyfriend?"

"Not at all, just like you said – trying to get to know you better. Your hobbies, skills..."

He opened the box and seemed quite impressed "I hope there'll be some left tomorrow, it looks so good" Burt was about to continue Kurt and Blaine's cooking.

Blaine has started making his way to the door, when Burt says "I can already tell you that you're always welcome here anytime as part of the family. Are you sure you don't want to stay for dinner?"

"Thanks for inviting me but I have to get home soon."

He didn't know if he should shake Burt's hand or maybe hug him, so he stayed back "Goodbye and have a great week" he said just before he left, leaving Burt to stare at his sleeping son. He was thinking how much he has changed, opened up to new things and confronted his fears. Kurt has grown so much in the past year and that made Burt a proud dad.

***

He was standing at the top of the staircase gazing at Kurt: he was wearing white and smiling like an angel at the surprise that had awaited him upon his return to McKinley.

"I walked across an empty land, I knew the pathway like the back of my hand"

Kurt was stunned. He didn't expect Blaine to be there, he wanted to take him aside. He wanted to tell him that he regrets his choice, but the familiar tune filled an empty place inside him.

"I felt the earth, beneath my feet. Sat by the river and it made me complete"

Blaine was half closing his eyes, trying to focus on remembering bits and pieces of his memories of him and Kurt together.  He wanted Kurt to feel a little sorrowful for leaving and at the same time he tried to make Kurt proud of him for driving all this way right after school.

Blaine was in the usual trance-like state he experienced while singing. He did have some thoughts at that special moment, when he said goodbye to Kurt, but they were all very blunt and hazy.

"Oh simple thing, where have you gone? I'm getting old and I need something to rely on"

He wanted to rely on Kurt as a part of his own being, his self because he becomes such a different person near him.

"So tell me when you're gonna let me in"

Soon they'll have the dinner, will he be a part of Kurt's family? An inseparable component in his life?

"I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin…"

'We need to take time to build us up' Blaine thought. 'I don't want it all to fade away…'

"If you have a minute why don't we go? Talk about it somewhere only we know. This could be the end of everything. So why don't we go? So why don't we go"

On that moment when he played the piano and sang he realized how lucky he is right now. Even though Kurt is leaving, he has a person he could stick with for his whole life.

They hugged and Blaine could hear how his boyfriend panted heavily "I'm never saying goodbye to you," he whispered in his ear.

Blaine grinned shyly and went up the stairs to wait for Kurt who got welcoming hugs from his friends in McKinley.

Kurt couldn't let leave Blaine without a goodbye kiss, he ran up the stairs to thank him properly, but Blaine was talking with Wes.

Blaine turned to him and they went aside.

"You know," Kurt said "today we have eight hours rehearsals for nationals, so I might be a little late for our dinner with my parents..."

"When do you assume you'll be back?" he asked while restlessly playing with his tie.

"Probably around seven, I'll call you when we're finished," he looked at his watch "I have to get back" he murmured and hugged Blaine again in gratitude "But you were amazing, all of you. I can't believe all the Warblers are here…and I'm pretty sure you'll be the winners next year. The judges at Regionals didn't know what they're saying!" he grinned and stared at the Warblers that had come all the way from Westerville to say goodbye to him.

There's even one moment that's better than their usual goodbye kiss, and it's the second before it. The split second of being close enough that Kurt can examine Blaine's tiny bristles above his lips, little hairs he's the only one who'll ever see, his tiny fragile eyelashes, and the little black outlines surrounding his lips and cheeks. In that split second Kurt always asks himself 'is this really happening to me?' and then Blaine closes his lips on him with a determined 'yes'.

They are breathing each other in again and if everyone's looking at them, then at least they could be sure they're seeing true love. They might even be a little jealous, Kurt thought, that Blaine Anderson can't be theirs.

"Already missing you," Blaine whispered in his ear "brace yourself. Weekend's coming up." He winked.

"So Blaine, I'll see you tonight too for one hour or two?"

"Yes, and you could join later our Warbler hangout if you want" Blaine said while leaving to the parking lot. He ran back into the minivan that waited for him there. The Warblers members were already waiting outside, talking excitedly.

"Was it worth it, coming to Mckinley?" Blaine asked when they all entered the vehicle.

"It's not so far from Westerville as you'd think," Wes commented "it was pretty short visit though."

"Yup, that was our best number this year. Our lost dignity was restored!" Trent said.

"Blaine, we didn't do this whole trip to Lima over nothing right? I'm expecting a Warblers hangout!" Matt exclaimed while taking off his Blazer and hanging it aside. "And it's going to be hard to compete with Jeff's pool party".

"I actually wanted to do this as a surprise, but never mind." Blaine mumbled as he stood in the front of the car and announced: "We are going to perform at three different places in Lima, get people hyped about us, so when our album comes out everyone will know who these Warblers are"

A loud discourse began, stating that they were all surprised.

"Wow!"

"Hell, that's just gonna be awesome."

"I can't believe it!"

"Blaine you're the best!" They all jumped on him at the same time.

"Um, well, you should thank our three awesome council members that took care of all the technical stuff. All I did was nag some teen clubs to put us on the list of bands" he chuckled.

***

Kurt arrived to the Glee club rehearsals room and found Rachel waiting alone. She was sitting on the pianist chair and doing vocal warm up.

"Kurt, the Warblers were amazing. That song was so romantic! You know, we are so lucky we beat them at regionals. They were very tough opponents" She was serious, but it made Kurt laugh.

"You're not just saying that because me and Blaine sang the solos there?" he asked.

"No!" she talked with her hands "They are just so arranged, and they have such a busy rehearsals schedule, which makes me wonder – where is everybody? Why can't New Direction start rehearsals on time?" she felt like she was the only one who cared.

"I think nobody is taking us seriously, not even the members of our own club." he sighed in agreement and sat next to her.

"Oh, there's Mercedes!" Rachel said.

"Where's the rest?" She asked Mercedes who was talking in her cellphone and motioning her to wait.

A minute later the majority glee club had already arrived. Everyone but Mr. Schue and Noah Puckerman were there.

Everyone was talking excitedly about the upcoming rehearsal that Mr. Schue had promised would be something special and long.

"Hiya, guys" Will Schuester rushed into the class and placed his briefcase on the piano. "Everyone's here? Great. I mean except for Puck, he told me he'll be late because of extra classes in literature… ok!" he yelled to get their attention "you have any idea why I brought you here in your free time?" he didn't give them time to answer "Yes, Nationals are coming up!" He wrote on the board the word "New York".

"We don't need an eight hour rehearsal for that" Kurt said. "Let's just do the Lady Gaga number, I'm sure everyone will agree with me."

He sat backwards on the chair and looked at them "Kurt, that's not enough. We need at least two major songs that will be totally mind-blowing, bewildering...we need to bring to that stage something new."

"Are you saying what we've performed so far is not good enough?" Santana protested from the back row.

"No I just want us to choose the perfect songs, they must be original songs, not covers and we must choose them together" he clapped his hands "now, everyone, get up and start walking around the room."

They all left their seats still a little confused and made their way to the other side of the room. Kurt was delighted 'I missed it a lot. Schue's crazy ideas, Santana's bitching, Rachel being bossy and Finn who can't even walk straight…' He thought as Finn bumped into Mike Chang.

"I knew coming here was going to be a waste of time" Santana moaned, but nobody paid attention to her, she only made Rachel and Kurt, who were now walking side by side, laugh.

"Ok! No talking! Everyone just walk or glide wherever you want, but don't stop" they all followed his order and marched each one in his own separate course until they became united and walked all in the exact same way – creating circles around the choir room.

"Now, start walking even slower and slower, and close your eyes"

"I hope this leads somewhere" Quinn sounded doubtful of this way of teaching too.

"Shh, I need you to be concentrated. Walk and think of a place you'd all like to be in, it doesn't have to be a real place. Imagine yourselves walking there even if it doesn't exists."

Broadway stage

Kissing Brittany in my room

I'm the quarterback and we're winning the championship

Taking Beth to kindergarten

Visiting Blaine's room

"In a field full of unicorns" Brittany muttered.

"Very good Brittany! Just not out loud. Keep the thoughts in your head!"

"I'm sorry! I didn't mean it to escape. Let me just get it back in" She picked her hands up in the air and 'placed it back'.

"Good! You're all thinking about something! Now, focus on all the little details of that place – how does it feel, smell, what music do you hear there? Change your walking pace as if you're already there!"

"Can we open our eyes now Mr. Schue?" Finn asked.

"Yes, but if you do – don't leave the place behind you. You are still in it. You just have to imagine it harder now."

They all obeyed. Some were still walking cautiously, some running around, but all of them concentrated on something that's not there.

"Great job everyone. Now after you are sure of all the little details – what are you wearing, who's there with you, start thinking about the music of this special place, but don't sing out loud yet" he explained.

After a minute or two he asked them to stop. Schuester gave each student a piece of paper to write down their experiences and emphasized that they don't need to put any efforts into it "Just write whatever comes in your head, let the lyrics come out and later on we'll try to work with that,". When they finished , he collected the papers and put them aside.

"Ok, we're gonna take a ten minute break. Go eat something and then come back here" Will understood that they were already tired and he needs to keep them concentrated for the next activity.

Puck and Finn were slandering aside.

"Dude, I have to head home. I've got better things to do. Tell Mr. Schue I'm not feeling well,"

"What? You're leaving? But it's only the middle of the lesson" he clung to his shirt.

"Sorry, I can't. See ya tomorrow!" Puck said and disappeared out of sight.

He went to take his back pack from his locker and headed to the main door. He pulled the door and pushed it quietly a few times, but he could not open it at all. Immediately he browsed in his bag for a lock picker and started tackling the latch. Putting it in and trying to toggle the lock he moved it inside to all directions, he then felt a point that he can unleash the latch withholding the door. At first, leaning it in slowly and then pushing fiercely.

"Shit!" he murmured as he broke the lock picker right inside the latch. He tried to use his bare fingers to pull the piece of metal out, but he failed.

He looked for other ways to escape: Through the windows it was impossible, he knew that from years of experience in ditching lessons every day.

He came back to the Glee club with disappointment, trying to sidle his way back to his seat, but he was noticed.

"Puck, you're late" Schue berated him as he made his way to his seat.

Rachel and Kurt expected for more sensory exercises that awaken imagination. They were wrong. Schue was talking and talking to no end. They already knew all the details about his glee club as a teenager and how intense their rehearsals were, they've heard that lecture about thousand times. Or that he decided to repeat it, or that he had memory problems. It was all but encouraging.

Four hours of talking with some discussions and short performances in the middle where each member presented a song wasn't good enough for Kurt. All he could think of was the dinner with Blaine. He was bored as hell, but he didn't want to disappoint Mr. Schue otherwise he would have left earlier.

At 07:00 PM exactly Mr. Schue released everyone home and they all ran fast to the main door. "I think I'm quitting glee club" Satana said "it was even worse than history lessons."

"Hey, when I have a time machine, let's go back in time together and screw our regionals performance," Brittany tried to help.

"Hey! Don't blame us for his lecturing" Kurt joined their conversation as they ran down the corridor.

Rachel, Tina and Quinn were already by the door, waiting. "There's no need to run, we have to wait for Mr. Schue to open the door."

"Why was it locked anyway?" Tina said.

"They don't want anyone to break into school" Mr Schue said and took out the key from his pocket.

Puck wanted to say something, but he couldn't think of even one good explanation.

"Weird, it won't open" Schue said while trying to slide the key in.

"Are you sure it's the right key?" Rachel asked. Will checked all the keys that were in his pocket, but none of them fit it.

"Guys, I'm going to call Mr. Figgins and see what we can do."

"This is the worst day ever," Santana sat on the floor and placed her head between her knees.

"Maybe we can use the emergency exit?" Mike suggested.

"No. no. it will trigger an alarm. It's only in case of fire or earthquake" Schue explained.

"Wouldn't hurt to cause a little fire here" Puck joked.

"Please don't get us in more trouble, Puck" he went to call Figgins and came back only half an hour later telling them that he left him three messages, but didn't get any response from the principal.

"Let's just all sleep here together" Brittany offered as she helped Santana get up from the floor.

"We can't Brittany, we have other commitments" Will was walking back and forth around the corridor, but there was no solution he could offer.

"I...I have to tell Blaine I'm not coming for dinner" Kurt sighed and went into an empty classroom.

"What do you mean you're not coming?" Blaine left the Warblers at a coffee shop in Kurt's neighbourhood and was on his way to his house "So we'll do it some other day?" Blaine offered.

"No! No, Carole worked hard on his dinner. Go talk to them, even for a short while..."

"Wouldn't it be weird that you're not there?" Blaine chuckled and glanced at the little present he had made for Kurt yesterday.

"I'll call dad and tell him I'm stuck here" Kurt calmed him "it will be fine. I'm sure they're gonna like you."

"I really hope so" he smiled and hung up as he arrived at the front of the door. He waited for five minutes, to make sure Kurt called Burt and then he rang the doorbell.

"Hi, Burt, Carole. How are you?"

"Come on in Blaine, it's so nice to see you again!" Carole greeted him and signalled him to put his coat on the rack.

"I heard that both Finn and Kurt aren't coming for the dinner, Blaine, I suggest we'll have our conversation some other time." Burt said as Blaine was at the entrance.

"I understand" he nodded and went to pick up his stuff, but Carole resented the idea of cancelling the whole deal.

"Blaine, honey. It's the first time I finally get to meet you," she welcomed him with a hug. "How are you doing? How's school?" She spoke as she took out some sauces from the fridge and placed them on the table. "Burt, do you think it's a good idea to send him home when there's so much food here?" She said while putting on her kitchen gloves and taking the vegetable pie out of the oven.

"Well, what do you suggest?" he sat down in front of Blaine, rubbing his hands together and smiling uncomfortably at him.

"We'll have dinner with Kurt on another evening" She managed to put on the small table two large bowls of salad along with everything else.

They sat down together and asked Blaine all they had in mind: where's he from, what do his parents do for work, how he gets along with Kurt, his future plans… They asked him all they could and he kept implying how much he likes Kurt, and that he means the world to him.

"Carole, I brought dessert" Blaine took out from a bag a small baking pan. He let her unveiled the silver paper to see twelve cupcakes, each one contained a letter, forming together an "I love you Kurt".

They were both deeply impressed and Blaine gazed at Burt in a question of 'Did I pass the test or what?'

"Thank you Carole, your pie was amazing" Blaine said while picking up the dishes.

"You're welcome Blaine. Please leave the dishes to me. You're a guest here" she took the plates from him and opened the dishwasher "Besides, Burt is waiting for you in the living room for a little man to man talk."

He thanked her again and left the room.

"Blaine, come here" Burt was sitting in front of the television when Blaine sat next to him "I…I know I can't give this kind of stuff to Kurt. He'll freak out a little, but I'm glad I can have your understanding on this subject" He pulled a book from behind his back "I want you to hand this over to Kurt please."

Blaine read the title and description and blushed immediately. It was a guide for those who knew Burt's pamphlets by heart.

"It's for you too, If you know what I mean…" Burt turned his head a little to the side and immediately turned on the television though he had no intention to watch anything.

"Thank you, Burt. We are so lucky to have your support" Blaine said with all the manners he could muster "but I think it's too early for us to start using it."

Burt's face lightened at the fact that Blaine proved his seriousness.

"I'll talk to him about it, I promise. Oh, and Burt – I want you to know that he has changed. I mean, I believe that he'll listen to you as well."

Burt nodded and glanced at Blaine, now he was sure his son couldn't have chosen someone more fitting.

Blaine and Kurt were texting until 02:00 AM. Neither of them went to sleep as Blaine was busy performing with the Warblers in a few teen clubs and Kurt made himself a comfy bed out of the auditorium cushions. They had to text each other because the glee choir room as well as the club Blaine was in, were all too noisy.

Kurt's place was between Rachel and Tina. He lay on his back and ignored the conversation between Quinn, Santana and the other girls.

I'm thinking about you. He texted Blaine and got back:

I just got back from your house. Your dad gave me a book for you named 'the joy of gay sex'

Kurt wasn't so pleased. He texted: OMG, when will he stop being so embarrassing?

Kurt lay back on the cushions and turned on his side, waiting for Blaine to replay.

I actually thought it was cute. I told him though that you're not a baby penguin anymore <("). Anyway, I'm going to perform 'Animal' right now! Wish me luck!

Rachel got up and all she could see in the dark was Kurt's cheerful face, writing his boyfriend back.

You don't need any! I know you're gonna kill it! You're still here? In Lima? Kurt wondered.

Yes, I'm hanging out with the guys from Dalton! BTW Your dad told me so much about you and then we looked at some albums. He showed me you loved to make tea parties in the lawn. It was so adorable! Had to mention it! Talk to you later! Kurt giggled. He loved how Blaine always added more exclamation marks than needed.

I love you <3. He wanted to feel Blaine, wanted him to be near. Wanted to smell his aftershave and wanted warm up against his skin. He's not that young boy anymore, that person is long gone.

"Kurt! Kurt, turn your cell phone off, I can't sleep with that sheer light!" Rachel pleaded.

"Rachel, until people will make the efforts needed to be a little quieter we won't be going to sleep"

Rachel sighed "I guess If we can't beat them we should join them" she sat on the cushions and tried to enter the conversation.

They listened to Quinn's gossip until 04:00 AM and then what seemed in the darkness like Santana and Brittany left the choir room for a long time. They could finally fall asleep, though Kurt kept waiting for Blaine to text him an 'I love you too' which never came.

You're still in Lima? Kurt messaged him at 7:30 AM when finally the janitor came to bust open the entrance door.

Kurt and all the others went back home to change clothes. No one but Artie and Mercedes got back to the lessons that day.

Yes. We just woke up. It's kind of weird how we all fell asleep sitting. How was your night? He replied after two hours.

I'm ditching school today, let's do something insane. Kurt texted him and waited for his approval.

I can't, I have some friends counting on me here. I'm going back to Westerville and I'll be back at Lima just in time for prom.

'He better be here' Kurt threatened him in his head and then texted him the same thought. Kurt kept imagining the night of the prom as the happiest day of his life and he wanted Blaine to arrive as early as possible so they can get ready.