Kurt woke up to a pool of his own drool on the pillow. He wiped his mouth sleepily as he sat up, feeling his whole body was a mixture of relaxed and tense at the same time. He felt loose after such a deep sleep, but there was a tension on his shoulders he couldn’t seem to get rid of…

And when he looked around the unfamiliar bedroom, he remembered why.

He wasn’t in New York anymore. He was in Maryland – of all places – hiding from a serial killer. Because his life had become a rather disturbing Michael Connelly novel.

He sighed. At least he would be safe here. Who would ever think to chase him all the way to Maryland?

The bedroom he was in was lovely, he noticed, glad to find anything to distract him. The bed was big and comfortable, and the maroon walls helped carry out the cabin-in-the-middle-of-nowhere theme. There was a large framed picture of the ranch hanging over the headboard, clearly taken decades ago, probably when the Anderson family had just bought it. The house was different back then, half-built and slightly sad-looking, but Kurt could see the potential for what it had become. It had clearly taken a lot of hard work to get it to where it was now. Kurt might not be the kind of person who enjoyed spending time in ranches, but this was obviously a beautiful place.

Kurt tried to perceive any sounds from the rest of the house, but it was dead silent. Agent Anderson was probably still sleeping – the poor man had looked almost ready to pass out by the time they had arrived the previous night, and Kurt couldn’t blame him. But now that he was up, he didn’t want to stay in bed any longer. He wanted to look around the house, maybe (hopefully) find some coffee, and figure out what he was supposed to do until this whole ordeal was over. But mostly the coffee part.

He got out of bed, made a quick stop at the bathroom (god, his hair really was disastrous!) and walked down the hallway towards the living room. There was another door in the hallway, and it was closed, so Kurt guessed it was Agent Anderson’s bedroom, and he had been right to think he was still sleeping.

The kitchen was practically empty, but he did manage to find an unopened bag of coffee and a coffee maker. He almost wept in relief. There was no milk or creamer, but he at least he wouldn’t have caffeine withdrawals. While he waited for the pot to filled – tapping his fingers impatiently on the kitchen counter – Kurt decided to look around the living room.

There were three bookcases filled with a mixture of books, pictures and different ornaments. Kurt ran a finger over the book spines, seeing if he could find any of his favorites. He spotted several classics he had never gotten around to read, some cook books and lots of books related to life in farms and ranches. The pictures caught his eye next – most of them featured the same couple throughout the years, sitting on the porch, at a fair, riding horses, laughing and holding hands. They looked happy, like the kind of people you wished were your grandparents so you could sit next to them and let them tell you stories for hours. Kurt figured they were Agent Anderson’s grandparents. He thought there was something very familiar in the way the woman’s eyes wrinkled when she smiled, even if Kurt hadn’t seen Agent Anderson smiling out of sheer happiness.

In the rest of the photographs, it didn’t take long for Kurt to recognize Agent Anderson. In most of them, he was still a boy or a teenager. He seemed happy and carefree, the way kids should always look. His parents seemed loving, always with their arms around each other and their kids. The other boy, Agent Anderson’s brother, Kurt guessed, was an extremely handsome boy, several years older. He was obviously an adult in the most recent picture, where Agent Anderson had to be around fifteen or sixteen. Kurt wondered if they were close, or it was hard for them to find things to bond over with the age gap that separated them…

Before he could finish looking at all the pictures, he heard a sound coming from outside the house. He frowned and walked towards the window to see what it was. He was shocked to find an old man with skin almost golden from working in the sun, wearing dirty jean coveralls, and accompanied by a shepherd dog that wouldn’t stop wagging its tail. The man seemed just as shocked to see Kurt, but waved in greeting nonetheless.

Kurt opened the door when the man walked up the steps towards it. “Hello.”

“Hey there!” The man said, with a heavy accent Kurt couldn’t place. “I didn’t know someone was here. Is Mr. Blaine with you?”

“Uhm, yes, he’s here,” Kurt replied. “I’m sorry, but you are…?”

“Oh, I’m Manuel,” the man said with a friendly smile. “I’m the keeper. I thought it was weird to see a car, because señor Blaine didn’t tell me he was coming…”

“I’m afraid it was a bit of an impromptu getaway,” a voice said, and Kurt saw Blaine approaching the house from the path. He was sweaty, wearing gym clothes, and had obviously gone for a run. “I’m sorry I didn’t call, Manuel. I didn’t mean to make you worry…”

Manuel’s smile got even bigger, and he was clearly happy to see Agent Anderson. “Señor Blaine! Benditos los ojos que lo ven! How have you been? It’s been too long…”

“I’m good, Manuel, thank you. I’ve been busy, that’s all,” Agent Anderson replied, joining the other two on the porch. “How are you? How’s your leg?”

“Old, just like me, but it hasn’t stopped me yet,” Manuel said with a chuckle. “I’m sorry, I’m so rude. Is he your fiancé? It was time for you to bring him here…”

Kurt parted his lips to correct the man, but Agent Anderson, after hesitating for a moment, nodded.

“Yes, this is my fiancé,” he said, earning a confused look from Kurt. “We’ve both been busy, but it’s nice to be here.”

Manuel extended a hand to Kurt. “It’s nice to finally meet you!”

“You too,” Kurt said, hoping he didn’t sound as out of place as he thought he did. “My name’s Kurt Hu…”

“Haymes,” Agent Anderson interrupted. He wrapped his arm around Kurt’s waist and gave it a firm, pointed squeeze. “Kurt Haymes.”

“Well, I’m glad you two are here,” Manuel said, not noticing anything unusual. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Actually, yes,” Agent Anderson said, giving the man a gentle smile. “Coming here was so unplanned that we didn’t bring any food. Would you mind making a trip to the supermarket in town? We have to finish unpacking and…”

“Of course, señor Blaine, no problem at all,” Manuel replied immediately. “Just make a list of what you need, and I’ll come pick it up in an hour. I’m going to feed the animals in the meantime.”

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Manuel walked away, waving over his shoulder. The dog stayed, wagging his tail at Agent Anderson until he got down on one knee to scratch behind his ears and give him a belly rub.

“Uhm,” Kurt muttered. “What the hell was that?”

“Manuel has been working here since I was kid, but even though I trust him, we can’t take any risks,” Agent Anderson explained. Kurt tried very hard not to follow the drop of sweat that was making its way down the column of his neck. “It’s better if he doesn’t know your real name.”

“Okay…” Kurt nodded, because he could understand that. “And what about our engagement?”

“I’m sorry if that makes you uncomfortable,” Agent Anderson said, standing up and looking at Kurt. “But it’s a good excuse. I haven’t been here in over a year, and the last he must have heard of me is that I was engaged. Why else would I have brought you here?”

Kurt knew it made sense. He would have just liked to know in advance so he could act more convincing. "Alright. But won’t your actual fiancé be upset when he finds out?”

“Don’t worry about that,” Agent Anderson answered, making a dismissive gesture with his hand as he walked into the house. Kurt followed him. “You made coffee? Great. I’ve been dying for a cup…”

“Agent Anderson…” Kurt started, but he was instantly interrupted.

“It’s Blaine,” he said. “It would be weird if you called me Agent Anderson in front of Manuel.”

“Right…” Kurt leaned against the counter and watched as Agent… as Blaine poured himself a cup of coffee. “Is there any chance anyone from your family might stop by and realize I’m not your actual fiancé, though?”

Blaine stopped with his cup halfway to his mouth. His eyes found Kurt’s. “No. There’s absolutely no chance of that happening.”

“Okay.” Kurt shifted awkwardly on his spot. “Look, I just…”

“Mr. Hummel,” Blaine cut him off in a soft tone of voice. “I know you’re nervous. I know this isn’t ideal in any way. But I promise it’ll be okay. Let’s think of it as a… vacation of sorts. We’ll stay here for a few days until things are resolved and then we both get to go back to our busy lives.”

“Forced vacations, you mean?” Kurt muttered, rolling his eyes. Blaine nodded and poured him a cup of coffee, extending it to him as a peace offering. Kurt accepted it eagerly. “Fine. I guess I can do that.”

“Perfect,” Blaine smiled at him.

“Just one condition,” Kurt said, and Blaine raised his eyebrows in question. “Call me Kurt?”

“Kurt it is,” Blaine replied, and then clicked their mugs together as if they were toasting to a new beginning.

*

Santana finished buttoning her shirt before adjusting the gun holster to her belt. She was reaching for her jacket when she heard a huge sigh coming from the bed behind her. Santana’s dark eyes found her wife’s blue ones as she opened them to the new day.

“Good morning,” Santana said, her voice softer than usual. If anyone could bring out her nicer side, it was her wife. “How’d you sleep?”

“A little better. But I wish our baby wasn’t such a night owl,” Brittany said, yawning. She ran a hand down her voluptuous belly, before letting all her attention center on her wife. “Are you leaving again? When did you even get home?”

Santana sat on the edge of the bed and placed her hand next to her wife’s. The baby was still, finally not kicking or moving around. “About an hour ago. I just needed a shower. And to see you,” her smile was warm and loving as she looked at Brittany.

But Brittany frowned. “You must be exhausted. Can’t you stay home for a few hours, take a nap?”

“I wish I could, honey. But with Blaine away, I’m in charge of the team. He’s counting on me to catch this guy,” Santana explained. She buried her fingers in Brittany’s long blonde hair and pulled her into a kiss gently. She missed being home with her wife. She missed having time to work on the nursery, and shopping for baby clothes, and being there whenever the baby kicked. But she knew her job was important too. She couldn’t take a break now.

Brittany pressed their foreheads together and let out a long sigh. “I feel like I barely see you anymore. I miss you…”

Santana groaned. “Oh honey, don’t make me feel worse. You know there’s nowhere else I’d rather be…”

“Then give me a couple of hours. One hour. Whatever extra time you can give me,” Brittany pleaded, hands making fists on Santana’s sleeves, as if desperate to keep her close. “And then you can go. But stay for just a little bit…”

Brittany was warm and soft, and her kisses were so sweet after tasting nothing but bitter coffee all night. Santana closed her eyes, trying to find some self-control to stand up and go to work, but Brittany gave her no time to pull herself together. She sat up, blankets slipping down and revealing her silky nightgown, the pale blue one that ended at the top of her thighs and barely covered her breasts anymore.

“You’re not playing fair…” Santana whispered, as Brittany trailed kisses down her jaw.

“I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to stay a little longer…”

Santana felt her breath catch in her throat. “Whatever it takes?”

Brittany’s fingers quickly and expertly unbuttoned her shirt. “Get into bed and you can find out…”

“Oh goddamn it,” Santana said, her knees already feeling weak. “One hour.”

“That’s all I need…” Brittany murmured, and her hand slipped under Santana’s bra.

Santana unhooked the gun from her belt and put it on the nightstand. She was known to make the toughest criminals cry like little babies, but when it came to her wife, Santana melted like ice on a summer day.

New York could survive without her for one hour.

*

Kurt was bored. He had been in this place for less than a day and he was missing the city like he had been away for years. He missed the theatre, his apartment, his brother, his friends. He missed having a Starbucks at every corner whenever he needed a caffeine fix. He even missed the noise – the traffic zooming by as he walked to the subway station, the New Yorkers talking on their phones as they navigated the sidewalks, paying no attention to anyone around them. He missed Central Park, and even the homeless man who slept by the bank and always complimented his outfits, although Kurt suspected he was being ironic most of the times.

He wasn’t made for life in a ranch. There really wasn’t much to do – there was only so many times a person could change the channels on the television to finally admit there was nothing good on, and even though a few of the books on the shelves looked interesting, Kurt wasn’t sure if he was allowed to read them. Blaine hadn’t been around enough to ask him, either.

Agent Anderson had spent most of the morning outside, with his phone glued to his ear and talking to the bureau. Kurt was glad that he was so invested in catching this guy, because it meant that Kurt would get to go home soon if they succeeded, but he wouldn’t have minded the company. Anything was better than this silence – it was becoming suffocating.

Kurt decided to venture outside. Maybe he could go for a walk, know the ranch a little better. When he stepped onto the porch, he shaded his eyes from the sunlight, looking around for Blaine, until he saw him, still on his phone and with the dog following him as he walked towards the gates. Kurt considered going after him, but decided to leave him alone. If he was working, it was better not to disturb him. Instead, he walked towards the back of the house to see what else the ranch had to offer.

There was a stable and a few fenced areas. He couldn’t see where the Anderson territory ended, so he guessed it was larger than he had originally thought. He could see Manuel, filling a huge trough with water using a hose. A brown calf immediately approached him to have a drink.

“Señor Haymes! Nice to see you again. Are you having a look around?” Manuel asked, smiling at him when he saw him.

“Yeah. I’ve never been in a ranch before. I was curious,” Kurt shrugged. “Have you worked here long?”

“Practically all my life,” Manuel answered. “Blaine’s grandmother hired me when I was a young man, and I had recently married my Daniela. We needed a place to live and she helped us. I still live in the same house she gave us. It’s right there, you see it?” Manuel pointed in the distance, and Kurt could see a one-story house at the end of the ranch. “We raised three kids there, and sent them to college. We had a good life here.”

“Does Daniela help you in the ranch?” Kurt asked.

“She did. She used to feed the animals, milk the cows, gather the eggs the chicken lay. I did the heavier stuff, like mowing the lawn or repair things that needed repairing. I built this stable, see?” Manuel showed him the stable proudly. “But my Daniela died, four years ago. So now it’s just me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” Kurt started saying, but Manuel waved his apologies away.

“No need to worry. I don’t mind talking about her. I miss her every day, but it makes me happy to remember her.”

Manuel offered to give him a quick tour of the ranch, and since he had nothing better to do, Kurt agreed. He liked how much Manuel seemed to love what he did – Kurt couldn’t have imagined that someone could love a simple life like this one so much. It made him wonder why he had always thought he needed the stage lights on his face in order to feel complete, while others found true happiness with so much less.

Kurt liked the horses the most. He had always thought of them as pretty majestic creatures, and seeing these ones only accentuated that. They were powerful and beautiful, strong and calm all at once. He carefully ran a hand down one’s side – it was gorgeous animal, all black except for a white circle around one of his eyes.

“That’s Blaine’s horse, Phantom. He used to come here every weekend when he was younger just so he could ride him around the ranch. He would spend the entire day with him. Then life got in the way, I guess,” Manuel explained, handing Kurt a carrot to feed the horse. “He’s a proud animal, a little impatient, but very loyal once you get through to him.”

“He’s gorgeous,” Kurt said, as he watched the horse chew on the carrot. “What about the others?”

“The white one, Knight, belonged to Blaine’s brother. And this one right here is Pearl, Mrs. Anderson’s horse. She’s very gentle. Would you like to take her out for a ride?”

Kurt looked at the sand-colored horse next to Phantom. She had sweet eyes, and wasn’t as big as Phantom or Knight looked. She was a lot less intimidating. But he still wasn’t sure… “I don’t know. I’ve never ridden a horse before. Maybe it’s not a good idea.”

“You’re in a ranch, señor Haymes. What else are you going to do while you are here?” Manuel asked, laughing.

Kurt found that it was a very interesting question. He had no idea what he was going to do while he was there, except for going insane very, very slowly.

“Okay, fine, let’s try it.”

*

Blaine didn’t even wait to hear the greeting on the other end to charge ahead.

“I’ve been trying to contact Santana all morning and I can’t reach her,” he said. “What’s going on? She always picks up the phone. It’s like it’s part of her. What if she…?”

“Anderson,” Captain Jones’ voice cut him off, already sounding impatient with him. “Santana was here all night, and left a couple of hours ago to shower and see her wife. She’s probably getting some sleep, which she deserves, if you ask me.”

“That’s not what I said. I just want to know what’s going on there,” Blaine walked all the way to the gate and looked to his sides – there was nothing but endless green and dirt roads. “I don’t like being away from the case and you know it. I could have been a lot more useful if I had stayed there, and someone else could have…”

“You’re the best agent we have, Blaine,” Mercedes interrupted. “I’m proud of the amazing team we have here, but you know I wouldn’t trust Hummel’s safety to anyone but you. Plus, you were in desperate need of a break…”

“A break? I’m not on a break. I’m working. I have to be alert in case…”

“In case a cow wants to eat him? Blaine, you’re in Middle of Nowhere, Maryland. What the hell could go wrong there?” Mercedes chuckled, which didn’t do much to help Blaine’s mood. “The only thing that could potentially kill Hummel there is boredom. Just relax, make sure he’s okay, and let us deal with everything here, please? I know it’s hard for you, but you’ll thank me in the end.”

“I don’t see that happening…” Blaine muttered in a monotone, as he turned around to face the house. His eyes widened and he gaped like a fish for a moment or two until he snapped into action. “I have to go. I’ll call back for updates later.”

“Don’t you dare call back, Ander–“

Blaine hung up and ran back towards the house. He could see Manuel standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and a pleased look on his face, and the absolute terror on Kurt’s eyes as he sat stiff as a pole on Pearl. Blaine knew the horse was very gentle, but she was also quite easily scared. He still remembered a memorable afternoon when his mother was riding her and ended up on her butt in the mud because they came across a mouse.

“Kurt!” He exclaimed. He came to a stop when he was ten feet away from the horse. “Stay still, I’ll help you down.”

Pearl was pacing so slowly, the alarm in Blaine’s voice sounded ridiculous.

“He’s doing just fine, señor Blaine!” Manuel said, grinning. “Just let him learn.”

If he falls and breaks his neck on my watch, I will end up working as a security guard in a mall, Blaine thought, approaching Pearl with his arms extended toward her and making what he hoped were calming sounds.

“This is the most uncomfortable thing I have ever done,” Kurt murmured, as if afraid speaking at a normal volume would make the horse go crazy. “And that’s saying something.”

“He has a great posture,” Manuel said from behind them.

Blaine was shocked to see Kurt beam at that. His back was straight as an arrow, with his legs tucked in closely against Pearl’s body.

“Just stick your butt out a little,” Manuel added, and Kurt turned towards him with a frown.

“Excuse me?” He sounded almost scandalized.

“Show your fiancé, señor Blaine. You were always a natural!” Manuel said, nodding along to his own idea, as if it was the greatest thing he had ever thought of.

Blaine wanted to glare at him, but managed to control himself. They had to keep their cover, no matter how frustrating everything was. “I don’t think…”

Pearl trotted away a few steps, heading to the small pond behind the stable. Kurt tightened his grip on the reins, looking nervous.

“Why did I think this was a good idea?” He mumbled.

Blaine sighed and went after him. He grabbed the reins and made Pearl stay still, shushing her as he did to keep her calm. Then he placed his hands on Kurt’s waist. “I’m sorry,” he said under his breath, so Manuel wouldn’t hear. “Just like this.” He corrected the posture, sliding Kurt’s butt back a few inches.

Kurt looked down at him with wide blue eyes. “Oh.” He cleared his throat. “Thank you?”

“You’re welcome. Do you want me to help you down?” Blaine asked, and realized his hands were still on Kurt’s waist, so he removed them immediately.

“Is there anything else to do here?” Kurt said, rolling his eyes. “I mean, I may end up falling on my head, but I’m starting to think it’s worth taking the risk.”

Blaine shook his head, a smile coming to his lips. “You’re full of surprises, Mr. Hummel,” he whispered, just so Kurt could hear. Then he turned back to Manuel, who was watching them as if nothing could make him happier. “Can you get Phantom ready?”

“You’re going to give me a lesson?” Kurt asked, a smirk playing on his lips.

“It’s either that or helping Manuel clean the henhouse,” Blaine replied.

Kurt’s face couldn’t have shown more reject and disgust if he had tried. “I think I’m ready for my lesson, then.”

A few minutes later, while Blaine was riding Phantom right next to Pearl, talking quietly as he instructed Kurt how to get the horse to go where he wanted, his cellphone started vibrating where he had left it for safety before joining Kurt. Santana was finally returning his calls, but for once, Blaine had forgotten all about work.

He wouldn’t admit it even to himself, but the way Kurt smiled when he got something right had a lot to do with it.

*