Kurt had gone to Dalton the next day with his dad to drop off all his textbooks and to sign his enrollment release papers so that his transfer back to McKinley would be official by lunch time. On the drive in, Rachel sent him a text message to come to her house the following night, which was Saturday, for a welcome back party. She also said to invite Derek and Blaine. He smiled and replied with a smiling face.

Burt and Kurt had stayed after signing all the paperwork for lunch with some of the Warblers and ended up being serenaded by then with the So Long, Farewell song from The Sound of Music. Kurt both laughed an cried because they boys were so animated and funny, but their goodbye was touching and it made Kurt tear up a little. He told Derek and Blaine about the party and they agreed to go happily.

Later in the evening, Kurt met up with Dave at an old fashioned malt shop a few towns away. Kurt looked at Dave funny when he paid for Kurt's mocha shake.

"So what are you doing this weekend?" Dave asked conversationally.

"Um, a party at Rachel's. They're throwing me a welcome back party."

Karofsky raised one eyebrow. "Sounds…like…fun." He said it like he was trying to be nice, but it wasn't convincing.

"I'd invite you, but they can't stand you… and because they'd probably think it's weird that I'm hanging out with you."

"It is a little weird isn't it?" Karofsky asked.

"More than a little. You harassed me for the better part of this year."

Dave looked bothered by the memory. "A party at her house can't be that much fun."

"They're my friends. I always have fun."

"So Blaine won't be there then?"

"No he'll be there with Derek." Kurt took a mouth full of his shake.

"Derek… hmm."

"What?"

"He's the brunette right? Who dresses kind of the same way you do?"

"A toned down version of me, yes."

"What's he like?"

"Why?" Kurt laughed. "Interested? Sorry he's taken."

Karofsky smiled playfully. "No. Just trying to get an idea of your other friends."

"Well, he really like's Alexander McQueen, just like me. His favorite movie is Gone with the wind and his Broadway idol is Patti Lupone."

"Kurt, you just described yourself."

They both laughed. "I know, but we have those things in common. Come to think about it," he took another mouthful of shake. "We have most things in common. Usually when Blaine and I can't agree on something, Derek sides with me. He's nicer and less judgmental than me I think, but that's just his personality. He's just a positive person."

"So Perfect Derek goes perfectly with Perfect Blaine?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, but ginned. "Yes. They go together perfectly."

"Why is it that you two never got together? You and Blaine."

Kurt looked back down at his Mocha shake and took a couple mouthfuls of it before answering. "We're friends. Nothing more."

"That's not really an answer."

"Yes it is. We're friends."

"But you have feelings for him."

"Why do people keep saying that to me? Rachel said that to me last week and my dad and Finn assumed we were dating until they met Derek."

"Kurt, you're kind of a book, easily readable."

"See that's the thing. I can't pull off mysterious."

"You're stalling. Why won't you talk about Blaine with me?"

"Because it's weird. Also, we had a weird altercation yesterday that I don't really understand."

"What happened?" Dave asked, looking concerned.

"Nothing. It was stupid."

"Kurt…"

"Dave…" Kurt mimicked in the same tone.

"Are we ever going to talk about what happened?"

Kurt looked straight ahead at Dave across the table with his shake in his mouth. He gulped it and felt the coldness in his chest as it went down. "What do you want to talk about?" He asked, acting aloof.

"Kurt…"

"What?"

Karofsky sighed and looked at Kurt seriously. He gave up. "Never mind."

"Look, it's not that it wasn't…pleasurable… I just don't want to talk about it."

Dave smiled widely. "So it was good then?"

Kurt looked at him incredulously. "I don't want to talk about it."

"You liked it." Dave joked.

"Stop!" Kurt was trying not to smile.

"That's not what you said when I kissed you. Oh wait, you couldn't because you had your tongue in my mouth."

"Dave!" Kurt was laughing now and Karofsky laughed with him.

"If it makes you feel better. You're a really good kisser." Dave smiled.

"Thank you," Kurt blushed.

"You're welcome." There was a pause and each boy took a sip from this now melting shakes. Karofsky looked down at his straw. "We should do that again sometime."

Kurt's smile went away slowly. "How's practice going?" He said, avoiding the topic.

At Rachel's house

"Spin the bottle!" Rachel yelled, producing an empty whine cooler bottle.

Everyone quickly sat around the circle except Quinn, Kurt, and Mercedes. Basically, it was a game made up of couples. Except for Zach, who wasn't with anyone, but was happily seated next between Tina and Brittany.

Kurt had only met Zach a few times, but didn't really know him all that well. From what he understood, Zach was a transfer student from some Academy in Maine and moved to Lima with his mother when his parents got a divorce. He was a nice guy, but Kurt didn't know enough about him to really make a judgment. Zach was a good looking guy, Kurt would give him that. Blond hair and blue green eyes. Smooth skin, tall, excellent hair that was a little on the long side, but shorter than Sam's.

"Why aren't you playing, Kurt? Derek asked.

"I'm all set," Kurt smiled.

"Oh, come on!" Derek pushed. "Get your lip-lock on."

"Yeah, Kurt," Brittany added. "Maybe you'll get to make-out with me again. I miss those baby soft lips of yours."

"Thanks, but I'm all set with playing spin the bottle in a group with my brother."

"Oh eww!" Finn said. "I didn't even think about that. No offense, I don't want to kiss my step-brother."

"None taken. And also, I don't really feel like kissing anymore people in Glee than Brittany. I'm over that phase and I'll just sit this one out." He seemed playful in his answer, but he didn't want to say that the real reason he wasn't playing was because he didn't want to get stuck kissing Blaine because he knew he'd make an idiot out of himself and it would get him into trouble. He felt he was being smart.

"What about Blaine and Derek?" Rachel said. "They're playing and they're not in Glee club. What if you land on one of them?"

Blaine glanced over to Derek, who smiled back at him with closed lips then puckered his lips and blew Blaine a kiss. Kurt was damning Rachel in his mind. He thought quickly. "Two out of how many other people? Just play. I'm fine."

Everyone finally left Kurt alone and they played while Kurt, Mercedes, and Quinn chatted off to the side. The three of them weren't really paying attention, but the couldn't help glancing over whenever they heard a huge eruption of noises coming from the circle nearby. He glanced over once and Derek was in a heated lip-lock with Brittany and then he looked back a couple minutes later and Tina was seated in Artie's lap kissing him. Brittany didn't seem to care, but Mike looked a little weirded out.

Kurt couldn't help looking back when there was sudden silence and a couple gasps. Everyone was either looking at the bottle or Kurt. Kurt looked down and saw that the bottle was pointed in the gap between Sam and Tina… right at him. His eyes went wide. "What?" he asked. There was no answer, but a lot of smiles from the girls. "Who gets to spin again?"

"Blaine spun the bottle!" Lauren squeaked out.

Kurt looked down at Blaine, stunned. Of-fucking-course I spin the bottle and hit the only guy I shouldn't be kissing… Who isn't even playing! I'm a dick. Blaine thought.

"Well, go on," Rachel encouraged. "Go kiss him."

"Guys, leave him alone. He's not playing," Finn defended.

"You guys have kissed before, right? So it shouldn't matter," prodded Puck.

"We haven't kissed before!" Blaine said a little too enthusiastically.

"Seriously?" Puck asked. "Then what do you guys do all the time?"

Kurt rolled his eyes. "Do you make out with all of your friends who are girls?"

"Hell yeah. The only girl in glee club I haven't made out with is Tina and that's only because she's always had a boyfriend."

"Didn't stop you before," Quinn added with an attitude.

"Yeah, but she's different."

During the whole conversation Blaine was either looking down or glancing back and forth between the bottle, Kurt's shoes, and Derek. When he finally looked Derek in the eyes, he found Derek was smiling. Derek squeezed Blaine knee and jutted his head in the direction of Kurt.

The began having a silent conversation by Blaine widening his eyes and shaking his head no. Derek responded with a raise of his eyebrows and turning his face a little more on the serious side as if to say "Do it. You know you need to." Blaine was unsure of Derek's reasoning, but Blaine shook his head no again. Their conversation continued until he heard Puck's question and perked right up again.

He looked over at Kurt who looked like he was wearing an expression saying "save me," but he didn't know what to do.

It was Zach that finally ended the debacle. "Guys, come on. Kurt's not playing, leave him alone. Stop embarrassing him and let's move on."

That seemed to work. Both Blaine and Kurt sighed in relief, but neither one saw it.

"Okay, I say we play duets," announced Rachel.

"Duets?" Derek asked.

"It's a game Rachel likes to play," explained Kurt.

"Alright who's in?" Rachel started scribbling names on pieces of paper and crumpling them into a hat.

Kurt continues to explain the game. "Two names are drawn out of a hat. Those two people are automatically duet partners. Then her ipod goes on random and whatever song comes on, that the song the duet sings. Points are given for how good you sound as a couple and how well you portray the song."

"Sounds like fun," Derek smiled. "I'm in!" he yelled over to Rachel.

"Me too!" yelled Blaine.

"Do I even have to say I'm in?" Kurt hollered.

Lauren, Quinn, and Mike had volunteered to be the judges. Mercedes was paired up with Puck and they sang a Black Eyed peas song, to which Artie said that the game was rigged because "of course the two of them would kill a Black Eyed Peas song," he argued.

Artie got paired with Finn and they say Ice Ice Baby. It was good, but not the judges favorite. Santana got paired with Brittany and got a Broadway song, to their dislike.

"Okay, next up…" Everyone drum rolled and Kurt's name got pulled.

"And my lucky partner is?" Kurt smiled.

Rachel reached into the hat and pulled out a piece of paper. She unfolded it and rolled her eyes when she read it. "Yeah, this just isn't fair."

"What? Who is it?" Kurt asked.

"Blaine," She replied, clearly unhappy with the pair.

Blaine smiled knowingly and stood next to Kurt. He swung his arm over his shoulders and grinned smuggly at Rachel. "Does everyone want to forfeit now, or?" Kurt and Blaine laughed together, knowing that their voices together made an excellent pair. Also, Blaine could sing the hell out of everything, no matter the genre.

"Okay, can we be honest and say that Blaine shouldn't be allowed to play because anyone paired up with him is bound to win?" Tina said. Blaine blushed and Derek laughed.

"Hey!" Kurt protested. "Don't forget that you guys TIED the Warblers for Sectional's after I left New Directions. You didn't win without me. You tied."

"Alright. Alright. Can it all of you!" Zach laughed. I haven't heard either one of them sing, so don't be sore losers." He paused, walking over to the Ipod. "Besides… I haven't sang yet." The glee kids from New Directions giggled knowingly.

"Yeah, you better bring it, Kurt, cause Zach's all kinds of awesome," Mercedes added before taking a sip of her drink.

The crowd oo-ed in response to the challenge and Kurt and Blaine took the stage. "Okay," Zach smiled. "You two will be singing…Just A Kiss, by Lady Antebellum."

"Oh, you two got this!" Derek yelled. Kurt's closest friend clapped, while Kurt and Blaine conversed for a second on who sang what and how they were going to play it out. Kurt would sing the girl's part and Blaine would sing the male part. They agreed to just play it coy and sing the hell out of it. Nice and simple.

They took their places and the song started. Both boys held a microphone each in one hand and then held hands with the other, but faced slightly away from each other.

Kurt: Lyin' here with you so close to me

it's hard to fight these feelings when it feels so hard to breathe

caught up in this moment

caught up in your smile

Blaine: I've never opened up to anyone

so hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms

They turned toward each other and sang to one another's faces.

Both: we don't need to rush this

let's just take this slow

Blaine let go of Kurt's hand and reached up to touch the side of Kurt's face, right near his lips.

just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight

just a touch in the fire burning so bright

and I don't want to mess this thing up

I don't want to push too far

Kurt turned away again. Blaine stepped closer to his back side and ran his right hand down from Kurt's shoulder to the tips of his fingers.

just a shot in the dark that you just might

be the one I've been waiting for my whole life

so baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight

Kurt turned back around swiftly and cupped Blaine's cheek.

Kurt: I know that if we give this a little time

Both: it will only bring us closer to the love we wanna find

it's never felt so real,

Blaine: no it's never

Both: felt so right

Blaine dropped the arm holding the microphone down to his side and Kurt leaned his forehead against Blaine's. They shared Kurt's microphone for the next chorus, putting all of their energy into it.

Both: just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight

just a touch in the fire burning so bright

and I don't want to mess this thing up

I don't want to push too far

Blaine opened his eyes for a second and caught Kurt's gaze. His heart started beating faster and his mind went back to two nights ago when he almost kissed Kurt. He was in the same distance now that he was then and Kurt had the same fire in his eyes. Either Kurt was a good actor or he actually meant what he was saying. Blaine didn't know how to be sure. Suddenly he was very conscious that other people were watching them and he felt his face begin to flush. Why was he feeling this? Didn't he already have the love he'd always wanted with someone amazing? With Derek?

If he was being really honest with himself, he'd admit to not feeling a rush of electricity when he touched Derek that he did when Kurt was next to him, but Blaine explained that away to himself as the connection he and Kurt had as friends. Was love supposed to be like magic? Being with Derek was so easy. He could tell him anything unedited with ease. With Kurt, he could tell him anything, but he was afraid half the time. Afraid of what Kurt would think or say. Afraid of Kurt thinking negatively and leaving him. What was it that made him feel two different things?

He stood up tall and held Kurt's hand on top of the microphone. He didn't stray his eyes away at all from Kurt's.

just a shot in the dark that you just might

be the one I've been waiting for my whole life

so baby I'm alright, with just a kiss goodnight

no I don't want to say goodnight

Kurt saw the flush on Blaine's face and wondered what that was all about. A familiar feeling crept upon him. Kurt wanted to take Blaine away from everyone else and hold onto him. He wanted to kiss his cheeks, and his neck, and his lips. He wanted to tell him everything about how he felt about him. But like always, this thought brought nothing but pain because he knew he couldn't do any of that. He couldn't tell him how he felt because Blaine was with Derek and if Blaine loved Kurt, he wouldn't be with Derek, right? In essence, Kurt felt this song was perfect for him because he didn't want to push too far in fear that Blaine would reject him and they wouldn't even have the friendship they started with, never mind a romantic relationship. Kurt felt confessing would ruin everything.

Blaine: I know it's time to leave,

Both: but you'll be in my dreams

Blaine: tonight

Kurt: tonight

Both: tonight

just a kiss on your lips in the moonlight

just a touch in the fire burning so bright

and I don't want to mess this thing up

I don't want to push too far

just a shot in the dark that you just might

be the one I've been waiting for my whole life

Why does he have to be looking at me like that? Blaine thought. He looks so… I need to stop thinking these things about him. Friends, Blaine, remember? If he had feelings for you he would have told you. He knows how much you care about him, right? Do you know how much you care about him? Do you even really understand how much you want to… Blaine paused in his thoughts. Did he? Was it true? Was it the moment or an ongoing feeling of wanted to do nothing, but press his lips to Kurt's and run his fingers through his hair. This isn't fair. Not to me, not to Kurt… not to Derek. I love Derek. Fuck! What am I doing?

Blaine: so baby I'm alright, oh,

Kurt: let's do this right,

Both: with just a kiss goodnight

Kurt: with a kiss goodnight

Blaine: kiss goodnight

Blaine found himself leaning in, he almost did it. He could easily say it was for the sake of the song and wanting to win the game, but at the last second Kurt put his head down shyly and looked to the floor. Blaine turned his head and rested his cheek on Kurt's hair.

The song ended and calls and whistles and clapping broke the two from their haze. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other for a moment and in that moment they both wore a face that screamed "Tell me you know how I feel. Don't make me say it out loud. I don't want to mess us up." But they couldn't read each other's expressions because they were too focused on their own thoughts.

Kurt leaned in and gave Blaine a hug, knowing that they just shared something special, but not knowing how Blaine felt about it or even if he understood. To both of their surprises, when Kurt stepped toward him to close the gap Kurt turned his head and pecked Kurt on the cheek. He accepted Kurt's hug and embraced him back.

Kurt's cheek burned where Blaine's lips were. Blaine's lips tingled like they were feeling for the first time. Shit, he thought. I'm in so much trouble. He knew right then. Blaine wanted more from Kurt. He wanted heat and passion from him. In this sense he was at least attracted to him, but the thing that scared him the most was how he felt about Derek. Was what Derek said true? Could you love two people? Do I love Kurt?

Kurt let go of Blaine and stepped off that stage. He seemed to have instantly composed himself and he smiled. "And that is how it's done." He looked over at Zach coyly and pointed. "Beat that, kid." Zach was a good sport and laughed along with Kurt.

Blaine stepped off the stage and went to stand with Derek. In true Derek fashion, Blaine looked at him and he instantly knew what was bothering Blaine. He gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek, telling him that he and Kurt made a perfect duo. When his lips were right next to Blaine's ear as they embraced, Derek whispered, "I saw that. We'll talk later."

"I love you," Blaine responded.

"I know you do." Derek released Blaine and kiss his lips. It hurt Blaine to not hear 'I love you' back and instead just get an 'I know.' Derek blinked a few times, the way he did when he was thinking and formulating a sentence. "What's wrong?" he asked caringly. "What do you need?"

Blaine thought of Kurt, but also of how much it hurt when he didn't hear 'I love you' back. "You. I need you. Can we go find a quiet space for a second?"

"Sure." Derek said with a smile. "Come on." He took Blaine by the hand and walked over to Rachel. "Where's the bathroom?"

"Upstairs, two doors over on your right. You both going together?" She asked suspiciously.

"Oh, you know," Zach chuckled. "Girls travel in packs."

"I better not find you naked in a bedroom. Sex is off limits in my house."

"Oh, don't worry, darling." He kissed her cheek quickly. Derek really liked Rachel. He was sure that they would be fast friends if they spent more time together. "This zipper stays up unless I'm going to the bathroom. Scouts honor!" Rachel giggled and Derek led Blaine upstairs.

Kurt followed the couple with his eyes, feeling his chest grow heavy. He walked over to Finn who was leaning against the couch with Zach. "I'm going to be right back. I need some air."

"You alright?" Finn asked. "You're face is a little red"

"Yeah," Kurt pretended to fan himself. "Just need some air."

"Want company?"

"No! I'm fine, don't leave because of me. Have fun. I'll be right back."

"Okay." Finn believed his brother. He was concerned, but otherwise had no idea something was bothering Kurt.

Zach, on the other hand, looked at him innocently, which scared Kurt because he thought Zach was reading his thoughts. He promptly turned and headed for the stair case.

He passed the bathroom and heard a thunk type of noise. Kurt instantly knew what the noise was and was confirmed when he heard Blaine's voice say, "Tell me you love me." Kurt's heart sank deeper and he kept walking until he reached the backyard patio.