New York was in that strange transition between winter and spring that sometimes happened during the first days of March. The temperatures were getting warmer and most of the snow had melted – something Kurt Hummel was incredibly grateful for. He really loved winter, he did, but he would now rather admire it from inside since he had slipped on an icy sidewalk two years ago and had to wear a full leg cast for three months. He loved the season's accessories as much as the next fashionista, but in his opinion, accessorizing properly with a cast was impossible. He far preferred wearing his beautiful Manolo Blahnik knee-high boots instead.

The cab stopped in front of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Kurt paid the fare as a doorman rushed to open the cab door for him to exit. Kurt thanked him absently as he walked towards the entrance, checking his phone. He was five minutes late, but he could usually count on Rachel to be even later for their weekly brunch date.

It was a little tradition they had started when they stopped living together. Best friends since high-school, coming to New York together and being roommates had been a dream. Rachel had landed the role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl, and Kurt had started an internship at Vogue.com, and since then their lives had changed forever. They became busier and busier, adding relationships and hectic responsibilities that life in the city always brought, and then finally decided to set a fixed day every week, where they would have brunch together and catch up on what had been going on in their lives. The Saturday Brunch, as they called it, had survived work obligations and Rachel's wedding and even her newlywed stage. It was also an excuse to relax and vent out their week's frustration over Mimosas and French pastries.

Kurt walked into the Auden Bistro inside the Ritz Hotel. It was a nice, elegant place that they would have never been able to afford when they first started their tradition. However, a Broadway star and Vogue.com's Web Content Editor could allow themselves a few luxuries. Kurt had never imagined he would rise this far, at his age – his former boss, Isabelle Wright, had moved up the corporate ladder a few years ago, and designated him to take her place. He still thought of her as his fairy godmother.

After the hostess took him to their usual table and offered him a drink, Kurt quickly checked his emails while he waited. Even though he knew he should relax more during the weekend, it was difficult to stay disconnected from the office. And not every email he received was related to work, he thought in justification, as he opened one from Lisa Humphrey. A work friend who had gotten married the previous year and swore she was the very best when it came to choosing the perfect wedding cake – and Kurt Hummel couldn't have anything less than perfection on his wedding day.

The thought of his wedding still sent a thrill down his spine. He glanced at his engagement ring – a delicate white gold band with a little diamond on it – and resisted the urge to squeal like a thirteen year old.

Working at Vogue.com put him in contact with many interesting people, and Alexandre Larue had been one of them. Kurt had literally stumbled upon him when coming out of the elevator, almost soaking Alexandre in coffee, and pretty much forgetting how to breathe once he glanced up and saw how stunningly gorgeous the man was. Alexandre was a French model, the go-to male model for many of the articles Vogue produced, so it wasn't unusual to find him roaming the Vogue offices. They met several times after that, until finally Alexandre had asked Kurt out on a date. Three years later, they were engaged.

It had been Alexandre who had popped the question. Kurt had arrived home after a really long day at the office one night, to find his boyfriend cooking his favorite dinner in the kitchen. There were rose petals everywhere and fine wine, and he had simply got down on one knee after the dishes were cleared, kissed Kurt's knuckles and asked. And Kurt had said yes.

He couldn't be happier. He had a wonderful man whom he loved and that loved him back, he had an impressive career at only twenty nine years old, and an even more promising future, and he lived in the city of his dreams, surrounded by people he loved. Kurt Hummel had it all.

He caught sight of Rachel pushing her vintage baby stroller into the restaurant and taking her big, chic sunglasses off to glance around for Kurt. It was just for dramatic effect, Kurt knew, since they always sat at the same table. But Rachel Berry liked to be noticed when she entered a room, and she smiled in satisfaction when she heard a few murmurs and saw people trying to covertly watch her. Kurt rolled his eyes and politely stood to greet her.

“Hello Kurt,” she said happily, parking the stroller next to the table and giving him a hug. “I hope we didn't keep you waiting long.”

“Oh, you know you did,” Kurt said with a chuckle. “But you wouldn't be a diva if you had arrived on time. Now let me say hello to my beautiful nephew.”

“He fell asleep on the way here,” Rachel explained as Kurt leaned over the carriage to coo at the sleeping baby. “He'll wake up soon though, probably when he realizes we are going to eat.”

“Well, he wouldn't be Finn Hudson's son if he wasn't unnaturally obsessed with food,” Kurt replied teasingly, as he took his seat again. “How's my brother, by the way? I haven't talked to him this week.”

“He's fine. He stayed home grading some tests,” Rachel smiled as she leaned back in her chair comfortably. “I would've left Che with him, but I thought it would be nice to let him work in peace.”

Kurt rolled his eyes, just like every time he heard her calling her son by that name. “Rachel Berry, the only woman in the world who named her son after a Marxist revolutionary.”

“Hey, Che was a fantastic character in a Broadway classic,” she protested, just as she did every time Kurt teased her about that. “A classic play in which I hope I'll be performing as the leading lady, after my Broadway break is over.” She smiled at the waitress when she handed them their menus. “And you know perfectly well his name is Chester.”

“You just named him Chester so Finn wouldn't realize where the name was actually coming from,” Kurt retorted. “How's that break thing working out for you, by the way? Are you getting sick of being a dedicated house-wife and mother already? Ready yet to head back to the Great White Way?”

“Oh no, not yet,” Rachel answered, playing with the long braid hanging down her shoulder. “I'm still having a wonderful time. Che surprises me every single day. He's the cutest baby, but you would expect that, given that he's all Hudson.”

“What I hope for is that he won't be as clumsy and gigantic as his father is,” Kurt muttered with a little snort. “Instead, I hope he's just as graceful as his mother is.”

Rachel preened at him gratefully. They ordered their brunch and chatted about Chester's latest doctor's checkup until the food was on the table. Since Rachel had become a mother, all her usual self-centeredness had turned toward her child. Kurt loved seeing her so happy and bright, obviously satisfied with how life had played out for her. They both had done very well. Their high-school selves would be extremely proud.

“So, how's Alex?” Rachel asked as she took a bite of her vegan omelet.

“He's great,” Kurt replied, unable to hide his smile. “He's playing tennis with his best friend, just as he does every Saturday.”

“You look particularly happy and relaxed today,” Rachel pointed out.

“Well, that tends to happen when your fiancé wakes you with a mind-numbing blowjob,” Kurt said, laughing playfully when Rachel threw her napkin at him. “I don't know, I'm just… happy. I guess I have plenty of reasons to be happy lately.”

“Are we going to work on my groom's maid dress any time soon? I'm dying to see what you have designed for me,” she commented excitedly.

“It's almost ready,” Kurt beamed. “And so is my suit. They only need finishing touches.”

“God, I can't believe you're finally getting married. It's going to be the wedding of the century,” Rachel clapped her hands together. “I should probably start organizing your bachelor's party…”

“Please, whatever you do, don't hire any strippers,” Kurt begged immediately. “They're so tacky. Let's just have one of our classic sleepovers and eat cupcakes. I'll give you and the girls a make-over.”

“Mm, we'll see…” Rachel whispered mischievously.

Rachel picked up Chester to soothe him when he woke up half way through their brunch. He was a chubby, adorable six month-old baby who looked a lot like his father, except for his big, dark eyes that were pure Rachel Berry.

“Oh gimme, gimme, I want to cuddle him,” Kurt demanded, making grabby hands until Rachel passed the baby over. “Hi, little buddy! Come to your Uncle Kurt.”

Chester grinned up at him and started playing with his grey cashmere scarf while Kurt bounced him up and down on his knee.

“Have you and Alex talked about when you might want to adopt babies of your own?” Rachel asked with a calm smile, as she watched uncle and nephew playing.

Kurt startled and looked at her with wide eyes. “What? Of course not. We're so young. Let's get the wedding over first…”

Rachel frowned, her smile disappearing almost instantly. “Kurt… you're almost thirty. And Alex is four years older than you. What's going on? You've always wanted kids, why do you look so doubtful about it now?”

Kurt scoffed. “I'm not! I just… people change, Rachel. Maybe I don't want kids anymore.”

Rachel crossed her arms over her chest. “You could barely stop talking about it when you were dating Bl–”

“Like I said,” Kurt interrupted, raising his voice enough to cut her off. “People change. Everything changes, Rachel. You can't blame me for having different dreams now. I was a different person back in high school…”

Rachel knew Kurt well enough to recognize when he was putting her off. There were certain things Kurt didn't like to talk about, and she knew he had good reasons for that. Kurt had spent years completely emotionally devastated after what had happened and now he was finally happy again with Alex. Rachel couldn't blame him for wanting to put the past behind him and focus instead on his bright future.

“You guys should come to have dinner with us sometime this week,” she suggested, to move on from the awkwardness. “I have a new recipe I'm dying to try…”

Rachel went on and on about the recipe book she had gotten the previous week – when Rachel Berry played a part, she played it well, and she was determined to be the perfect house-wife and mother. Kurt listened politely and made suggestions, while observing that Chester was getting bored with bouncing on his knee. He grabbed one of his toys from the stroller and distracted him with it while he continued to talk to his mother. Soon, the baby would get too impatient and fussy and they would have to end their brunch.

They parted ways outside the hotel with a fond kiss and a hug. Rachel lived across the park, so she would walk back home, but Kurt wanted to pick up a snack for Alexandre, who was always starved after playing tennis, so he took the opposite direction, toward a fantastic bakery where they had rolls with a creamy herbed brie filling that were to die for. He also wanted to browse a shop a few streets down that had the largest selection of wedding magazines. There were so many details to think about when it came to a wedding… Kurt hadn't even been aware of the most recent trends when he put together his Dad's wedding back in high school. So many trends to follow, so many clichés to avoid. Kurt Hummel's wedding couldn't be anything short of fabulous, after all.

*

Kurt slipped his free hand into his pocket and wrapped his other arm around Alexandre's, moving closer to his fiancé. Even though the days were becoming warmer, there was still a vestige of winter's chill at night, and he welcomed the warmth that Alex provided.

“I think I liked the last one best,” Alex commented as they started walking back home. “We should order five cases of it for the wedding.”

Kurt hummed in agreement, pleasantly buzzed after a lovely night at a wine tasting, sponsored by one of New York's top wineries. Even though most of their dates included tasting food and beverages for the wedding lately, he still appreciated spending a night out with Alex. They had both been buried in work the past few weeks and the added stress of putting together a wedding didn't really give them much free time to spend together and just have fun.

“I loved that sweet white one, what was it called? It had a really long name,” Kurt muttered thoughtfully. “It would go wonderfully with the cake, I believe…”

“It was a 2008 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières, I'm quite sure,” Alex answered, slipping back to his own language easily.

Kurt practically purred. “Mm. I love when you do that.”

“I know you do,” Alex winked at him playfully. “Maybe I do it on purpose…”

Kurt laughed. “Of course you do. We really should order a few cases of that one, too…”

“Those were really expensive wines, Kurt, are you sure you want to spend so much money on beverages?” Alex asked.

Kurt shrugged. “How many weddings do you think I'll get to have? I just want it to be spectacular.”

“Anything for my prince,” Alex kissed the top of his head. “What's on the to-do list for this week?”

“We have to go see the sample cakes and make a decision about decorating it,” Kurt said, immediately going into business mode. “We have to try on our suits, and I need to send my Dad's to him, so he can try it on, too. I've already arranged a Skype date for Wednesday evening so I can see how it looks on him. Oh, the napkins. Do you want them to be shaped like roses or swans? I thought roses were classy, but swans are a little cliché.”

“What's the point then, of even considering the other option? You can never go wrong with roses…” Alex pointed out.

“Uhm, you're right. See? This is why I'm marrying you…” Kurt smiled as he leaned in to kiss him. “Oh! And we need to get the marriage license this week. It'll just get crazier if we wait any longer and then if we forget, everything will be a disaster.”

“Why don't we go during your lunch break on Thursday? I don't have anything scheduled then,” Alex said as they stopped to wait for a red light at a corner.

“Perfect.” Kurt sighed. “God, this is really happening.”

“Of course it is,” Alex wrapped his arm around him to pull him closer. “And I can't wait to call you my husband, mon ange.”

Every now and then, particularly when Alex said those sweet things, Kurt had the sudden urge to start dancing, regardless of where he was. He just wanted to twirl around a little, skip a bit, with his arms raised above his head. There was nothing wrong with a grown man showing the world how happy he was, right?

He managed to stop himself, though. He simply pressed one more kiss to Alexandre's lips and then they crossed the street together.

*

Burt Hummel dropped unceremoniously into the chair in front of the computer.

“Dad! Don't do that! You'll ruin the jacket! Can't you at least…?”

“Calm down kiddo,” Burt said, unbuttoning the suit's jacket. “I'll take it off and hang it up in a minute. I just want to talk to my kid while he's still got time.”

“I always have time for you, Dad,” Kurt replied, leaning back in his chair.

“That's not entirely true,” Burt retorted with a gruff. “Between your job and all the wedding stuff, I'm lucky if I manage to fit in a five-minute phone conversation a week.”

“Once the wedding is over, things will go back to normal. I just want everything to be perfect,” Kurt said with a fond smile.

Burt snorted doubtfully. “Yeah, right! You clearly have no idea what happens after you're just married. You'll barely leave the apartment for the first few weeks. Heck, you'll probably hardly leave your bed…”

“Dad!” Kurt exclaimed, scandalized. This was not a conversation he wanted to have with his father.

Burt chuckled, amused. “I'm just saying, Kurt.” He paused, and watched his son quietly. “So. How's that fiancé of yours?”

“He's great. He had a photo shoot today and he texted a little while ago to let me know it was running a little late,” Kurt answered, relaxing back in his seat. “So I'll probably work on my suit for a bit, since I don't want him to see it.”

“You should take a break,” Burt said, crossing his arms over his chest. “I think you're working too hard. By the time the wedding day comes around, you'll be too exhausted to enjoy it.”

“I'm fine,” Kurt remarked patiently. “Can you really blame me for wanting things to go nicely?” Burt made a face that Kurt caught just in time before his father masked it away. “What? What is that supposed to mean?”

Burt sighed, as if bracing himself for something difficult. “Look, Kurt, don't take this the wrong way… but aren't you going a little overboard with this wedding? I mean, do you really need to have such an extravagant party?”

Kurt gasped. “Are you kidding me? What is wrong with wanting a beautiful wedding day? It's not like I'm going to have doves pooping glitter…”

“I'm just saying, son. When you get married, it shouldn't matter so much where it happens or how exclusive the string quartet playing while you walk down the aisle is. It's about beginning your life with the one you love…”

“Dad,” Kurt said in a firm but patient voice, ready to inform his father of how wrong he was. “Isabelle offered to help us get the best venue, so what's wrong with letting her drop her name around so I can get married in the Terrace Room at the Plaza? It's beautiful and spacious and more than I've ever dreamed of. And what if the wine is expensive or if I want the food to be absolutely delicious or if I want the wedding cake to be gorgeous? This is the only wedding I'll ever have, Dad. I want to start my life with my husband by making perfect memories…”

Burt nodded curtly, in that way that meant he didn't agree with Kurt at all, but didn't want to upset his son. Kurt frowned. He didn't understand why his father couldn't see things his way. Was it so wrong to want a fairy tale wedding? So what if the flowers were as expensive as two months' worth of rent? It was what he wanted, so he was going to get it. It was his wedding.

Burt cleared his throat, clearly ready to abandon the topic as a lost cause. “Just promise me one thing, Kurt. Don't focus so much on the material aspect of it all and don't get upset if your suit's a little wrinkled or if the best man's speech isn't funny enough. Those are just details. What you really need to remember is why you and Alex are doing this. That's what really matters.”

Kurt couldn't help smiling lovingly at his father even though Burt was being particularly difficult. He knew everything came from a place of caring. He could always count on his Dad to look after him, to make sure he always had a reason to be happy. He really had lucked out with a father like him.

“I know, Dad,” he assured him quietly.

*

On Thursday, Kurt received a text message from Alex five minutes before they were supposed to meet, informing him that he was already downstairs waiting for him. Kurt finishing writing the email he was working on and quickly sent it, before grabbing his bag and his jacket. As he was leaving the office, his assistant followed him down the hall.

“Should I order your lunch?” Clara asked, notepad in hand and ready to write down whatever he wanted.

“No, thank you, Clara,” he replied as he arrived to the elevator and pressed the button to call it. “I have wedding stuff to do, so I'm meeting my fiancé. I may take a long lunch break, but I'll be back for the meeting at three.”

“Okay. Do you want to use the large conference room in the fifth floor?”

“No, let's just use the small one in this floor, this time. It'll be a quick meeting, I hope. Call me on my cell if something urgent happens. Otherwise, just write down any messages and I'll take care of it when I'm back!” He exclaimed, as the elevator doors closed before him, just catching Clara nodding before she turned on her heels to go back to her desk.

Kurt searched for his sunglasses as he went down on the elevator and slipped them on as he crossed the glass doors of the Condé Nast to exit the building. Alex was standing to a side, so he wouldn't be on the way of any hurried New Yorkers, typing something on his phone. Kurt went up to him and Alex smiled and kissed his lips quickly. He put his phone back in his pocket and offered his hand to Kurt.

“Are you ready for this?”

Kurt grinned at him. “I am so ready.”

They hailed a cab and sat close together on the backseat, as Alex filled Kurt in on a new shoot that he had been offered that morning, planned for the following week. They talked about their schedules for that week, so they could still find some time to be together and even work on a few more wedding things that needed to be decided soon, before they arrived to the city hall.

They entered the building as Kurt looked for his papers in the bag, double-checking one more time that he had everything – birth certificate, passport, social insurance card, even his driver's license. He urged Alex to do the same as they took a number and waited for their turn, and his fiancé did so with a fond roll of his eyes. He had learned not to argue with Kurt when it came to anything related to the wedding, though.

 The lady behind the desk finally called them up, so they approached. Kurt smiled at her. “Hi. We'd like to apply for a marriage license, please.”

The woman smiled back. “Sure thing, gentlemen. Read over the form, fill it in and check that you have all the required papers, okay?”

Kurt meticulously filled the application and handed her the papers they had brought and she went through them carefully, asking Alex how long he had been living in the States, while she read over his Landed Immigrant papers. She seemed to be an unusually kind woman, who apparently enjoyed working with people who were planning their big day.

“It seems everything is in order,” she said after she was done. She turned to her computer. “Let's start with Mr. Alexandre Larue, then.” She entered his data, occasionally asking him a question when she needed extra information. When she was done, she turned to Kurt. “Now you. Kurt Hummel. That's with two Ms, right?”

“That's correct,” Kurt nodded politely.

 “When's the big day, boys?” She asked gently as she typed.

“April 24th,” Kurt replied, unable to keep his smile at bay. He bounced a little on his heels and Alex circled his waist with his arm, affectionately.

“I bet you're excited…” The woman paused and stared at her screen, looking baffled. She deleted what she had just typed and tried entering it again, more slowly. She kept frowning. “Have you ever been married before, Kurt?” She asked, as she went through the papers he had brought again, as if looking for something.

Kurt's eyebrows went all the way up to his hairline in surprise. “No. Why do you ask?”

“There must be some sort of mistake…” She went back to the computer, clicked a bit, typed some more. Kurt was starting to get impatient – what could possibly go wrong? “Kurt, according to your information here… I can't give you a marriage license today.”

“What?” Kurt screeched, his voice achieving painful intensity. “What do you mean you can't give me a marriage license? Why not?”

“Because it says in my system that you're already married,” she explained cautiously, glancing alternately at Kurt and Alex and then back again.

“This is ridiculous. Please, check again. I've never been married before! I've never even been engaged before!” Kurt was starting to despair. He turned to Alex. “I don't get it.”

“Can you please check one more time? Something has to be wrong in your computer,” Alex requested politely.

The woman nodded and complied, making sure she was extra careful when typing everything back in. As soon as she was done, though, she shook her head. “Sorry, boys. It says here that the Kurt Hummel with this Social Insurance Number is married. You will have to get a divorce before you…”

“How can I get a divorce if I'm not even married?” Kurt's voice went higher and more shrill, the more anxious he got.

“Do you know Blaine Anderson?” She asked then.

Kurt had been about to speak again, to ask her to get someone else he could talk to, to maybe even throw her computer across the floor, but he froze still at the name. “W-what?”

“It says right here that you are married to Blaine Devon Anderson,” the woman explained. “Do you happen to know who that is?”

Alex's arm fell from around his waist, but Kurt didn't even notice. He didn't notice that his breath had hitched at the name, or that Alex was staring at him in dismay. He didn't notice time hadn't stopped, that it kept moving, that he still hadn't replied to the woman's question, and that he couldn't remember how to breathe. He forgot where he was and why he was there, and everything melted into nothingness, because he had heard the one name that he had forbidden himself and everyone around him to ever pronounce, almost ten years ago.

He held onto the edge of the desk until his knuckles went white and he waited. He waited for someone to say it was a really bad joke. But then the woman turned the computer monitor towards him so he could see for himself, and hopes that this wasn't real vanished into thin air.

There, clear as the pale morning sunlight, it said that he was married to his high school sweetheart, his first love, the boy who had been his best friend, the boy who had broken his heart into a million jagged pieces.

He was married to Blaine Anderson, but he couldn't explain how or when that had happened.

*