Kurt sat at the caf� four-top, with five chairs pulled up to it, looking down at his coffee, dazing out and trying to think of a way to break his news to his friends. "We're going to need a new beat-boxer next year. Mel is graduating this year. Kurt, what do you think about Patrick?" Kurt snapped his head up.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Patrick," David repeated. "What do you think of him taking Mel's place next year?"

Kurt turned his head to his left to look at Wes and David. "Oh. Um. Yeah, I think Patrick will do a fine job. Maybe you should promote two people. You can get more sounds. Maybe a freshman will come in."

"That might be a great idea. We'll see how the newbies turn out."

Kurt glanced across the table and a pang went through his heart when he saw Blaine's arm rest on Derek's shoulder and his fingers running through Derek's hair. He'd gotten good at hiding his feelings about Derek and Blaine being a couple. As far as he knew, no one suspected a thing about his complete and utter heartbreak from the situation.

Kurt thought Derek was a nice enough guy, so it made it hard for him to dislike him. In fact, Derek and Kurt had a lot in common. He had a fantastic fashion sense outside of the Dalton uniform and his taste in musicals were spot on with Kurt's. He was handsome, charming, and a musical genius. He had perfect pitch and could play any instrument by ear. Kurt saw his appeal. He came to the conclusion that if not for Blaine, he'd probably have fallen for Derek himself. But there was Blaine. Perfect Blaine with Perfect Derek. It was hard not to be happy for both of them, but Kurt still harbored all the feelings of a first love just out of reach.

He took a deep breath. "Guys. I have some news." Blaine and Derek looked to him with smiles, both thinking Kurt was going to announce a romance he was keeping secret. "I'm going back to McKinley." He said it matter-of-factly with no hint of joy in his tone, even though he was about seventy-five percent overjoyed to be returning to his old friends and the New Directions. Not to mention that his return would also mean that he would be competing against his Warbler friends at Regional's.

All four boys were stunned into silence. Kurt looked to Blaine, hoping for something along the lines of sadness or pain at the very least. Instead he got confusion. "Kurt can I talk to you for a second?" Blaine stood up immediately not waiting for an answer. He meant his question as a command. Kurt stood and followed Blaine outside to the benches. He didn't wait for Kurt to sit down before he stared Kurt in the face. His face was no longer confused. Kurt couldn't place it. Angry? Concerned? Kurt thought. He couldn't decide. "Kurt what do you think you're doing? McKinley?"

"It's what I want. I've been in a rut lately. I knew this is what I wanted back at Sectional's when we tied. I realized that I wasn't disappointed that they didn't lose. I was disappointed that they won and I wasn't a part of it. I belong with them, Blaine."

"And Karofsky? Don't forget he's not so gleeful. He ran you out; you were tortured. You really want that again?"

"Actually I've been talking to him for a little over a month now."

"What? Why didn't you tell me?"

Kurt couldn't look him in the eyes as he said this. "You've been a bit preoccupied."

"Derek? You're blaming him for not telling me?"

Kurt jumped. "No! No, not at all. I like Derek. I didn't mean that to be an excuse. I just meant that you had better things to concern yourself about than my patching things up with Karofsky."

"Wait. Patching things up? Kurt, I'm having a really hard time understanding all of this. You used to tell me everything. That Neanderthal threatened to kill you and pushed you in lockers multiple times a day. He forced himself on you for Christ sakes!"

"Blaine, Karofsky's gay. You were there for me, when no one else could be and you didn't have to be. He doesn't have that. He has no one."

"Yeah, well, being a homophobe kind of pushes those opportunities away for him."

"Blaine stop. Please. Hear me out. I could just hate him for bullying me, but instead, I look at him and just see his pain. He's miserable. It's actually partly because of him that I'm returning back to McKinley."

It was hard for Blaine to hear Kurt talk so nicely about a guy who Blaine has gotten into a shoving match with more than once. He hated David Karofsky. Plain and simple. "He set up a meeting with our fathers, the principal, and Mr. Shuester. Our fathers hashed it out. I wasn't surprised to find my father dominating. Then afterwards, we were alone and Karofsky balled. He completely broke down and begged me to understand that he was sorry. He didn't ask for forgiveness, he just wanted me to know he was sorry."

"And that gives him a free pass? All forgiven?"

"No. Blaine why are you even arguing the fact? I'm happy. Shouldn't you be supporting me?"

"Kurt. I care about you. You know that. But that school is toxic. They did nothing to help you when you were in need. They don't deserve to have you back."

"It's not about who deserves what. It's about what I want. I want to be back with my friends. I want to help Dave out."

"And what about us?"

"I'm sure the Warblers will do fine without me. You were stellar before I joined and will do great at Regional's."

"No. I meant you and me. You're my best friend. When will we get to see each other?"

Kurt's heart jumped when he heard Blaine explain the 'us' to mean the two of them together, then fell again when he realized Blaine had used the word 'friend.' He sighed. "We'll just have to make time, I guess. There's after school and weekends. I know you'll be busy with Derek, and school, and Warbler practices, but I'm sure there's time for coffee. We seemed to make it work before I transferred here."

Blaine sat down on a bench and put his head in his hands. "I don't get it. Why now? Why all of a sudden is he nice to you?"

"It wasn't all of a sudden, Blaine." Kurt sat down next to him. "It's all of a sudden for you, but, like I said, this had been working it's way up for over a month now."

"A month?" Blaine took his head back out of his hands and stared incredulously at Kurt. "I understand you thinking that I was too preoccupied to listen to your problems, but a month, Kurt? Holding something in that long isn't an indecision; it's a lie. What happened?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm listening. I know you think I've been preoccupied, but I'm here now. I'm listening." Blaine honestly felt guilty.

"It really is a long story. Derek and the others are waiting. Maybe we can get together some other time and I'll tell you."

"Tonight. I'll drive to your house after we're done here and we'll talk."

"Blaine, you really don't have to. It's not anything-"

"No." Blaine put his hand on Kurt's shoulder. "Don't say it's not important because everything you say is important to me. I want to be there for you for everything, but if I don't make time for you to listen then I can't call myself a good friend."

Kurt looked deeply into Blaine's eyes and felt the seriousness in them. "Don't you have a study date with Derek tonight?" He asked, his confidence wavering.

"He'll understand. You're important to me too, Kurt. He knows that."

"All right. Tonight then. I'll call my dad and tell him you'll be over for dinner." Kurt put his chin on his shoulder and made a face that Blaine thought was adorable. "We'll have a girl's night."

Blaine smiled and chuckled. "Deal."

They got up from the bench and Blaine stopped Kurt from moving forward. He enveloped the porcelain skinned boy in his arms and squeezed tightly. Kurt eventually wrapped his arms around the shorter boy and reveled in his warmth. He inhaled and was able to smell Blaine's cologne. He closed his eyes. It was his favorite scent.

Kurt was the one to let go first because it was one of those moments when he realized that he'd been thinking of Blaine in ways he wasn't supposed to because he was only a friend. He was thinking those romantic thoughts too long, so to mask that he let go.

"I don't want you to go," Blaine said sadly.

Kurt forced a small smile. "I know." They started to head to the doors to go back in and Kurt was able to see Derek from the window. His smile went away. "It's a good thing you've got Derek to distract you for mourning my loss." He flicked his eyes over to Blaine to see if he got the joke and from the corner of his eyes he swore he saw Blaine wear a look like that said 'it wasn't enough.'