Blaine waking up alone wasn't unusual, nor did it upset him that much.  Sure he liked waking up with Kurt but he knew that Kurt was more of a morning person and felt a bit creepy watching his boyfriend sleep.  So he'd wake and get up and Blaine would then find Kurt downstairs with the coffee already made and maybe a bit of breakfast and despite everything this was turning out to be the best summer ever.

So he got out of bed and headed downstairs, finding Kurt and his father sat in the kitchen.  When he walked in Kurt's head jerked up as if he'd been caught doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing but he smiled gently and slipped out of his seat.

"Coffee?" he asked rhetorically, kissing Blaine on the cheek as he walked past.

"Thanks."

"You OK, kid?" Burt asked.

"...Yeah.  Think so," Blaine said.

"Kurt told me," he said plainly.

Blaine turned his head to look at Kurt, only to find that he wasn't there.  He looked back at Burt, wondering if he was about to lay down the law about sex or make him move out of Kurt's room or what if he was about to suggest Blaine find somewhere else to stay?

"I asked him to give us some space," Burt explained.  "Sommat I wanna say."

"Is something wrong?" Blaine asked, panic rising.

"Hey, no.  No, kiddo, it's all good.  Well, with me anyway.  Kurt told me about...  Look, your dad's... well, he's a moron, OK?  I don't want you going through that again, and you won't.  Not while I'm involved.  Kurt's worried that this is a new concept to you, but...  Well, you're safe here.  You're safe and you're welcome and you are wanted.  Me and Carole, we care about you.  I know we're not your parents and we're not gonna try to be.  But we  are gonna be here for you.

"What your dad said was unfair and untrue.  He has no right to tell you what to do with your life, hell even Kurt doesn't have that right.  You decide what you do with your life and those of us who care about you will support you.

"I can't pretend to understand what you're going through but I know that Kurt would give up his entire wardrobe and wear nothing but flannel for an entire year if it would make things better for you.  He loves you—"

"I love him," Blaine mumbled quietly.

"I know you do.  And I know you're worried about next year.  So here's the deal."  Burt held out his hand, fingers twisting until the key was held out.  "You are always welcome here.  No matter when or what.  You stay as long as you want and you come and go as you please.  I don't know how this thing with your dad is going to play out, I just want what's best for you.  But what I'm sayin' is...  You got options, right?  And don't feel that you can't come here if Kurt's not about.  That you can't stay."

Blaine reached out and took the key which felt heavy in his hand.  "Thank you," he managed to say.

"I know I'm not your dad, and after yesterday I'm actually quite glad of that.  But if you wanna talk about stuff?  I can't promise I'll fully understand but I promise I'll always listen and help in any way I can."

"Thank you," Blaine repeated.

Burt reached out and put a reassuring hand on Blaine's shoulder, waiting just a second before he pulled the kid into the hug he clearly needed.

Leaving Blaine to his breakfast Burt ventured through to the living room.  Kurt was waiting, almost nervously, for him.

"It's fine," Burt assured him.  "I'm not kicking him out or anything.  Not that I could even if I wanted to, way you two are joined at the hip."

If his father noticed the way that Kurt suddenly froze, the blush that crept up into his cheeks, then he didn't mention it.

"And I'm not about to insist he move out of your room either.  Way I see it it'll just mean you two sneaking around and I don't want you to feel like you have to do that."

"Dad..."

"Yesterday I defended your right to be in love and be together.  And yeah, I said you two could share a room because it's what Blaine clearly needed at the time.  Anything changed on that front?"

Kurt thought about it for a second.  There was certainly a need to be together but it was very different to the one that had been there over a week ago.  They'd needed to know that the other was there, that they weren't going to leave and let the other wake up alone.  Now they needed to be together in a whole other way and while it wouldn't strictly be a lie Kurt felt that saying "yes" would be tricking his father in some way.

"You're sensible kids," Burt said gently, "Blaine's lapse in judgement aside.  And I don't want you to feel like this isn't your home too, that you're not safe here or welcome here or that you two can't... be yourselves."

"Are you sure about this?" Kurt asked carefully.  He'd gotten good at reading his dad over the years and he was pretty sure that his father knew what he was talking about.

"If you are then that's good enough for me.  Carole pointed out that you're not a kid any more and after what you two have been through these last few weeks?  Reckon you've shown you're in this for keeps.  So all I ask is that you're respectful.  There are other people in this house.  People who like their sleep.  And plausible deniability."

The illusion of ignorance shattered, Kurt bit his lower lip and nodded.  He felt like he'd just been handed his freedom and a wealth of responsibility all at once and he wasn't quite sure where to begin with it all.

"Thank you," was all he could think of to say.  "And we will.  Be respectful I mean."

"Don't doubt it for a moment."

As the day played out into summer's humid heat, Kurt and Blaine sought refuge in their room (their room, it was their room now.  Officially theirs) and lay on the bed, movement too much.

They stared at the ceiling, making animals out of the patterns.  They talked about New York and their plans for what they'd do when they were together.  They formed plans for what they'd do to survive the year that they weren't (because there was no way in hell that Blaine was letting Kurt put anything on hold for him, even for a day).  They talked about the coming year; Kurt's senior at McKinley and Blaine's Junior at Dalton (stupid Dalton transfer board insisting he repeat his sophomore year).  They even talked about Blaine transferring as it currently seemed unlikely that his father would pay for Dalton's tuition.

Once that topic was broached Kurt just listened as Blaine talked about his parents.  It hadn't all been comments and arguments.  His childhood had been, on the whole, pretty awesome.  His mom taught music from home so he couldn't remember a time when there weren't sounds and singing floating through the rooms.  He'd half-learned, half-taught himself how to play the piano, sounding out notes until he found the ones he wanted.  Listened in on singing lessons and when he was good enough joined in, providing harmonies or a partner for the paying child.

His father, always the businessman.  Blaine could count the number of times he'd seen his father in something other than a suit on two hands.  But he was home every evening for dinner and to help Blaine with his homework or listen to him sing or play whatever song he'd been rehearsing.  Music was a nice hobby and then it was a great distraction.  Joining the Warblers had been a way to help him settle at Dalton, to make friends and to get him back out of his shell.

The day he came out to them, his mom first.  Through hindsight Blaine knew that she's suspected but hoped she was wrong, but over time she learned to accept it.  His father was another matter entirely.  There were the fishing trips, the camping trips, the car project.  There were the family dinners with colleagues who had single daughters about Blaine's age.  Somehow his mother seemed to only have female students for a long time; girls who matched him in talent and spirit and probably would have been perfect for him if.

If indeed.

It had taken his mom about a year before she seemed to accept that Blaine wasn't going to change, that this was who he is.  There was that ordinary evening when she'd introduced him to a new student; Allan.  He was a few years younger than Blaine but very talented, and the two of them sang harmonies and bit parts and that was when Blaine realised it could be OK.

(Allan had been the one to suggest the Warblers do Misery as he was obsessed with the song.  Realising the timeline of Mrs Anderson's acceptance of her son and the song and then Blaine's courage to be honest about his feelings for his friend, Kurt found the hand between them and clasped it tightly.)

But his father had never fully accepted it.  It wasn't talked about and when Blaine tried the subject would be changed or shut down.  Mr Anderson chose to live in plausible deniability about his son's sexuality.

It was the first time that Blaine had ever really opened up like this about his parents, and while Kurt was touched that his boyfriend trusted him enough to be able to talk about this, his heart was breaking at the idea of him being so distant from the two people who were supposed to love him more than anything else in the world.

But then, he supposed, that was them all over.  On the odd occasion when he'd met them it was always Mr Anderson and Mrs Anderson.  Blaine called them Dad and Mom and Kurt briefly wondered what their names actually were.  That distance was also evident in the way that Blaine addressed Kurt's parents; for weeks they had to tell him repeatedly that it was Burt and Carole, not Mr and Mrs Hummel, but Blaine was persistent in his politeness for so long.

That had all changed now and Kurt idly wondered if Blaine would come to see them as his parents now.  Burt and Carole had been more loving and caring and accepting of Blaine these last two weeks than his parents probably had been since he came out and not for the first time Kurt wanted to be able to crawl into his boyfriend's mind and see what went on in its dark recesses.

But for now Kurt was happy to lie next to him on their bed, hands clasped between them, and stare at the paint on the ceiling until it twisted itself into the turtles that Blaine swore he could see.

For the next few days it was as if Blaine had always been a part of the family.  He was co-opted into the chores rota, he cooked dinner one night.  He even had a crash course in mechanics with Kurt one day at the garage.  But no matter the day the nights ended in similar fashion; the two of them curled up in their bed, exploring and discovering the other.

All Kurt wanted to do was to let Blaine know he was safe.  Safe and wanted and loved.  Burt and Carole treated him as a third son (although Burt still had an air of I will hurt you if you put my boy through hell again about him) and hour by hour Blaine's confidence grew.  Knowing that he would always be able to call this place home, that there were people here who accepted him, had for the first time in years given him a sense of peace in himself.

And with that peace came a course of action he'd not anticipated.

His parents were at work, Finn was out with Rachel.  Kurt had asked Blaine to come shopping with him but Blaine had cried off.  He'd just assumed that Blaine wanted some time to himself.  It wasn't a big deal and so Kurt had happily kissed him gently and left him with the run of the house.

It felt wonderfully domestic and he'd imagined, more than once, what it would be like when they were in New York together.  He thought about their weekends; he'd leave Blaine in bed and slip out to do the shopping.  When he came back Blaine would have stirred, have made a pot of coffee, and they would indulge in breakfast before one of them dragged the other back to bed.

Which was, wow, a new development.  The last few days they'd explored that side of their relationship and it was clear where they were going.  (And despite the fact that he was of legal age and he was paying in cash to avoid records, he still blushed when he slipped the lube and condoms into the basket.  Because yeah, this was new.)

He'd never felt so happy with or close to anyone before and the fact it seemed to be happening with his father's blessing made it all the more special.  Since that conversation, since Blaine had been given a key, they'd realised just how much faith and support Burt was giving them and their relationship.

Kurt knew without hesitation or doubt that Blaine was The One.  He was going to marry that boy, have everything with him.  And he would do whatever it took to make Blaine happy and feel safe.  Something so simple, something Kurt had always taken for granted when it came to his own family.

He pulled into the driveway and texted Blaine to come and help him with the shopping.  It wasn't until he was getting the first bags out of the car that he realised that he wasn't afraid of Blaine not being there, he wasn't terrified of Blaine running any more.

"Blaine?" he called out as he struggled with the front door.  "I have a ton of bags in the car...  Blaine?"

He dropped the bags in the kitchen and wandered through the house, calling out Blaine's name.  He checked their room, the bathroom, the living room but there was no sign of him.  Pulling out his cell he called Blaine's, stopping as he heard it ring on the counter.

OK, so now he was worried.

He started for the front door, passing by the patio ones as he did so.  He spotted Blaine out of the corner of his eye in the garden and he let out the breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

So.  Still a bit concerned about Blaine as a flight risk then.  But only a bit.

Kurt moved to the patio door, intending to ask Blaine for his help bringing in the bags, but he stilled when he saw that Blaine wasn't alone.  Standing beside him was Mr Anderson.

Texting his dad had seemed like a good idea at the time.  He felt better now, stronger.  He wanted the chance to talk to him, to explain.  And at first his father had seemed almost receptive; he'd listened quietly, nodded to show understanding, asked gentle questions.  But then he'd had his say.

He'd pointed out that distance when you're a teenager rarely helped and while they may go into it with the best of intentions it would be so hard.  He pointed out that aside from his... friend from his old school, Kurt was the only gay guy he'd ever met.  And for Kurt Blaine was it.  Options could change that.  Away from home Kurt would grow into a self-sufficient young man and he would change – would Blaine still be the right person for him then?  And away from Kurt Blaine himself would change – would Kurt still be right for him?

He'd been gentle and reasonable and slowly he'd chipped away at Blaine's newly built confidence and security.  Every comment made sense, every scenario one that Blaine tried so hard not to consider.

Mr Anderson was reasonable and logical and calm and he slowly began to win his son back.

The strength that Kurt and his family had filled his body with slowly seeped out.

Kurt watched the shift in Blaine's body language and his own shifted.  His shoulders squared, his jaw clenched along with his fists and he prepared himself for war.

Blaine had been glancing down and away as the doubts crept back so when his father gently asked his son, his only son, to look at him he lifted his head slowly, dragging his eyes over the house.

And there, standing in the window, just watching them?  Was Kurt.

Blaine could read his body language, he knew that there was nothing Kurt wanted more than to run out here and be with him.  But he wasn't.  He was stood there, watching, giving Blaine time and space...  And Blaine had never loved him more.

"Blaine?" Mr Anderson said gently, trying to gain his son's attention once more.

"Dad," he said carefully, snapping his gaze from Kurt at the last possible second.  "I'm staying."

"What?"

"I'm staying.  Here.  I love him."

"Blaine, we've been through this..."

"No, you've talked about this.  You talked and I listened.  You've told me how Kurt's going to outgrow me, leave me behind and you know what?  Maybe that's true.  But I'm not wasting one moment with him.  I love him, Dad.  I really, really love him and I know right now that he loves me back.  His whole family took me in and they care about me.  They're not bothered that I'm gay, they're not going on about my plans for college and the future.

"They let me be me, Dad, and I never really understood what that was like.  You've been trying to control my life ever since you felt like I was heading in a direction you didn't want for me.  But it's my life, Dad.  I need to live it the way that's right for me.  Otherwise it's not mine."

"I just want what's best for you," Mr Anderson said.

"Then why won't you accept that I'm in love with Kurt, that he's what I want, what's best for me?"

"You never...  When you were a kid..."

"What?  Because I played with girls that meant I couldn't be gay?  Jeez...  I didn't know when I was seven.  I mean, I knew I was... different but...  I can't change who I am and I wouldn't even if I could.  Because that would mean giving up Kurt and I'm not doing that without a fight.  He is, without a doubt, the best thing to have ever happened to me.  And I don't want to choose between you and him, Dad.  I don't.  But if you force me...

"I know I'm going to love him for the rest of my life, no matter what.  He's my first love and that's always going to mean something.  And I want him to be my only love.  I know that if we make it to New York together then I'm going to marry him, have a family with him.  And I want you to be a part of the life that we build together.  But if you're not... then that won't be my choice, Dad."

"So that's it?  An ultimatum?  Your way or the highway?"

"No, Dad.  It's not an ultimatum.  It's a choice.  You either have me or you don't.  Because this is who I am and if you can't..."

"Sounds like an ultimatum to me."

"It's your choice.  You either have a son... or you don't."

"So what?  You're just going to stay here?  Move in with them?  Would they even...?"

"Yes," Blaine interrupted with a snap.  "They would.  Burt's made it very clear that I am welcome to stay as often or as long as I want.  So don't feel that you have to put up with me if you don't want to."

"I never said that," Mr Anderson said softly.

"You may as well have," Blaine replied sadly.  "Maybe it'd be best if you... took some time.  Just thought about it.  You know where I am."

His father nodded, just once, and turned to leave.  Blaine's eyes flicked to the window where Kurt had been stood but it was now empty.

By the time Kurt had completed a second trip from the car with the shopping bags Blaine was in the kitchen, unpacking the goods as if nothing had happened.  Despite the fact that Kurt was desperate to ask, desperate to know, he knew that Blaine would open up to him eventually.  So he said nothing and continued bringing the bags in.  Once he'd emptied the car he began to help Blaine, the pair of them moving about the kitchen putting boxes and packets in their rightful homes.

"I asked him to come over," Blaine said eventually.  "I wanted to talk to him."

"Right," Kurt said carefully, trying to keep all emotion from his voice.

"Didn't go so well."

"I saw."

"It was you."

"What?"

"Dad, he was... getting under my skin.  Again.  Like he always does, just chipping away at me... and then I saw you and it was like something hardened in me.  In a good way.  Just seeing you reminded me...  I told him that he accepts me for who I am or he's not a part of our lives.  Simple as that."

"Is it that simple though?"

"It is for me," Blaine said, stopping what he was doing and looking at Kurt.  "I want you, I want a whole life with you.  I want Dad to be a part of our future but if he's not then I'll learn to deal with that.  Not sure I'd be able to deal with not having you!  But yeah."

"I was worried," Kurt admitted, moving around the island to talk to him.  "When I saw you with him I thought I was about to lose you again."

"Not a chance," Blaine smiled, slipping his hand into Kurt's.

"I'm so proud of you," Kurt smiled, watching Blaine's face shift slightly at this.  "Really.  You gave him a chance, another chance despite everything he's done and said.  What he did to you, what he did to us?  Not sure I'd have been so understanding."

"He's my dad," Blaine shrugged.

"I love you," Kurt breathed, leaning in for a gentle kiss.  "And I'm sorry it didn't work out."

"I told him to think about it," Blaine corrected.  "He's either there for us or he's not.  He's there for the wedding, the kids; the lot or none of it.  If he makes me choose between you and him then he may not like how that goes."

"I don't want you to have to choose between a life with me and him," Kurt said, his hands running down Blaine's arms to clasp his hands.  "I don't want there to be gaps in the photos or missing grandparents during the holidays."

"If there are then it won't be our doing.  He's got the choice.  I'm not changing who I am and I'm not giving up something that I want so much.  Something I will fight for no matter what."

Kurt smiled and gave Blaine's hand a gentle squeeze before letting go and the pair of them returned to unpacking the last of the shopping.  He had confidence in them, in their relationship and their future.  He knew that he was going to spend the rest of his life with this boy and...

Oh my.

Oh my.

"Did we just...?" Kurt began nervously.  "We just talked about..."

Blaine stilled as he caught up with his boyfriend, remembering the topic of conversation they'd just had as easily as they'd discussed fashion trends or patterns in the ceiling.  "Yeah.  We did.  Didn't we?"

"Yeah."

"Marriage."

"Kids."

"Us."

Kurt breathed out gently and tried not to panic.  They talked, that was their thing.  They'd talk about their relationship, the speed at which things were moving.  They'd talked about the things they wanted to do to and with the other, they'd talked about New York but that was just the next few years.  This was a lifetime.

"You OK?" Blaine asked.

"...Yeah.  I am.  You?"

"Yeah."

"Whoa."

"Good whoa?" Kurt asked.

"Yeah," Blaine grinned, pushing his hand into the last shopping bag and closing his fingers around a couple of items.  "Um..." he said as he saw what Kurt had picked up.

When Kurt saw him holding up the lube and condoms he found his courage, swallowing his nerves and looking directly at him.  "I just thought...  We talked about it..."

Blaine smiled in a way that told Kurt everything he needed to know.  Wordlessly he walked across the kitchen, took Kurt's hand in his, and lead him upstairs.

It was slow at first, taking comfort in familiar situations.  Their clothes were slowly peeled away, soft kisses peppered across the other's body.  Hands traced patterns, teased and grasped.  They found combinations that worked; Blaine's mouth on Kurt's dick, Kurt's long and supple fingers wrapping around Blaine's own erection.

"Let me," Blaine had whispered in Kurt's ear as he traced kisses down the tendons of his neck.  "I want to."

"So do I," Kurt growled in response.  "I love you."

"I love you too.  And I'm here, with you.  Now.  Always.  Let me.  I want you to know that I am never leaving you again."

"OK," Kurt breathed as Blaine's hand grabbed and stroked him gently.

It was awkward at first.  There was too much lube and Kurt winced at how gross it felt but he soon forgot about that when Blaine had two fingers inside him and was experimentally brushing against his prostate.

The third finger was uncomfortable but he knew it was needed and so Kurt tried to remember to breathe and remind himself that this was Blaine.  This was his Blaine and they were so in love and this was right and natural and oh dear god Blaine was getting good at this.

"Um... little help?" Blaine asked, his voice shaking with nerves and embarrassment.  His hands were too slick and he nodded towards the box of condoms.

"Oh, right.  Yes," Kurt stammered, his shaking fingers making hard work of the box.  For a moment he wondered how he was going to be able to open this up; using his teeth seemed crass and confidence that he didn't have right now.

After two failed attempts at trying to tear the foil (weren't these things supposed to be easy?) he looked up and caught Blaine's eye.

They couldn't help it.  Their nerves and the awkwardness bubbled up and a smile became a laugh became hysterics and suddenly they were clutching to each other, gasping for breath as they fell back onto the bed.

Once they'd calmed they returned to the start, the kissing was slow and natural, familiar ground.  Hands and fingers stayed away from "danger" areas, letting them return to themselves.

"You OK?" Blaine asked as Kurt shifted slightly.

"Yeah."

"I didn't hurt you?"

"No," he said but his voice quivered slightly.

"Kurt."

"It's fine, really.  I mean they say it'd hurt the first time."

"And we've not even..."

"It's supposed to get better," Kurt said soothingly.  "Easier.  Please don't worry about it."

"I don't want to hurt you."

"I don't think this actually counts, love," Kurt laughed, kissing him gently.  "This is... just the start of something."

"This is going to change everything," Blaine breathed as Kurt rolled him onto his back, straddling his hips.  The breath hitched in his throat as Kurt's fingers wrapped around him, teasing him back to full hardness.

"More than both of us talking about getting married and having kids?" Kurt asked as he picked up a fresh condom packet.

"I don't want to push you into this.  Just because we've talked about doing this doesn't mean we have... to... do..."  Blaine's response was stammered as Kurt's fingers rolled the condom onto his erection.  "Jesus, Kurt."

"Distractions," he smiled.  "Thinking about something else.  Helps me when I'm performing.  Seems to be working now."

"Thinking about what exactly?" Blaine asked as he tried to move his mind away from what Kurt was currently doing to him.

"Thinking about how we'll have to be quiet when the kids are young.  The nights when we're not too tired and they've finally gone to sleep and it's been a while since we were able to actually take our time.  Or when Dad and Carole come to visit and we regress to this despite the fact that they're in New York to celebrate our tenth anniversary.

"But mostly," he grinned as he finished applying lube to the outside of the condom, "I just like the idea that we'll never stop talking."

"Never," Blaine growled, his hands grabbing Kurt's shoulders and pulling him down for a kiss.

It took some shifting and hands and fingers to guide it, but soon Blaine was making that first push.  Kurt hissed a little at the sharp pain but he held Blaine's gaze, letting him know that it was OK.  Once he'd adjusted he remained in control, sinking down bit by bit, allowing his body to come to terms with the fact that Blaine was inside him, this was really happening.

Once he was fully sheathed they stopped for a second, locking gazes again and smiling.  They didn't need to say it, their eyes and bodies screamed it.

I love you.

Fifteen minutes later and they were cleaned up and curled into the other.  Kurt hadn't lasted long; the overstimulation when Blaine had grabbed his cock had pushed him over the edge which then had returned the favour for Blaine.

"We'll get better at that?" Blaine asked.

"So they say," Kurt said, nuzzling in to Blaine's neck and breathing in the smell of sweat and him and the new hint of sex.

"Wow.  'cause I thought that was pretty good," Blaine laughed.  "That weird?  Or a bit egotistical?"

"Nope.  Guess that we're just naturally that good?"

"We're awesome," Blaine said, pressing a kiss into Kurt's temple.  "Kurt...  How...  Was it OK?"

"Hmmm?"

Blaine laughed softly at the sleepy Kurt in his arms.  "Was it OK?  I didn't...?"

"It was fine," Kurt assured him.  "Trust me.  Once you get used to it... it's...  It's really good."

"Dibs on next time."

Kurt found a last reserve of strength to look up at Blaine.  "Did you just use the word 'dibs' in relation to our sex life?" he mocked.

They laughed softly, pulled the covers around them, and drifted off.

"You're sure about this?" Kurt asked, putting his hand over Blaine's.  "It's a bit... final."

"It's been almost a week," Blaine replied, staring straight ahead at the house.  "And even with the stuff that Carole's been picking up for me I'm getting a bit fed up of wearing the same stuff."

"You and me both," Kurt laughed.  "But you don't have to do this.  Finn and Dad offered..."  He didn't want to voice it but he really didn't want Blaine to step foot in that house.  The cars in the driveway betrayed that both parents were home.  "We can come back later?  When they're gone?"

"It's summer.  Mom will be home pretty much all the time and Dad...  It's fine.  Come on."

The pair of them got out of the car and walked up to the front door.  Blaine hesitated for a second, wondering if he should knock or ring the bell.  Taking a deep breath he told himself that this was still (technically) his home and so he turned the handle and pushed it open.

"Mom?  Dad?" he called out, stepping inside, Kurt just a step behind him.

"Blaine?"

Blaine stilled as his mother's voice called out and Kurt nearly walked into the back of him.  He slipped his hand into Blaine's as Mrs Anderson came into the foyer.

"Blaine," she smiled but didn't move towards him.  "Why...?"

"Just getting some things," he said quietly.

His mother pressed his lips together and nodded sharply.  "I just...  I'd hoped..."

"I can't, Mom.  Not with Dad..."

"If you just talked to him, listened to what he has to say..."

"He's not listening to me," Blaine cut across her.  "I'm going to pack.  C'mon, Kurt."

In silence he followed Blaine upstairs to his room, sitting nervously on the bed as he opened up drawers and started removing clothes.

"Blaine..." he said carefully.

"Don't," Blaine said, his voice slightly sharp.  "I know she cares and I know she wants me home, but she won't stand up to Dad.  What he says goes.  He's...  I swear sometimes my parents are right out of the '50s."

"Not unlike your dress sense," Kurt muttered affectionately as the pile of Blaine's clothes grew.

"Can you grab the case for me?  Closet at the end of the hall.  Big green one is mine."

"Sure," Kurt said, pushing to stand and leaving the room.  He found the closet and case with ease but as he turned to return to Blaine he stilled; between them stood Mr Anderson.

"Helping him pack?" he asked.

"Supporting my boyfriend," Kurt replied.  "Because someone should."

"Don't act like I don't care about my son.  He is my world."

"Doing a good job of showing him that so far."

"Tell me something, Kurt.  How's your life been since you came out?  Reassuring pats on the back?  Able to go out on a date and hold hands in public?  Share a goodnight kiss?"

Kurt said nothing.

"I don't want my son to be victimised.  It was bad enough after that stupid dance...  I didn't want him to go, I knew something would go wrong.  People don't like who you are."  Off Kurt's eye roll he added, "And I'm not one of them.  Don't you dare think I don't love my son.  He's my kid, he's my only kid.  I would lay down my life for him, same way your dad would for you."

"Then why doesn't Blaine know that?" Kurt challenged.  "He's convinced you don't want him, that you hate who he is."

"I hate the life he's going to have," Mr Anderson corrected.  "I hate that he's going to have to hide, he's going to have to deal with bigotry and comments...  You didn't see him after the attack, you have no idea what it did to him."

"Actually I do," Kurt challenged.  "We do talk."

This seemed to shock Mr Anderson but he smiled.  "He talked to you about that?"

"Of course he did.  We talk all the time.  It's what you do in a relationship.  You might know that if you talked with your son instead of talking at him."

"What?"

"You talk about not wanting him to be victimised but what do you think you've been doing to him?  Telling him that I'm going to leave him behind when I go to New York?  You have no idea how I feel about him."

"And how is that exactly?"

Kurt's eyes narrowed.  "I love him.  And I'm sorry if that doesn't sit right with you but I am crazy about him.  I will do anything and everything for him."

"You'd wait here for a year for him?"

"Of course I would."

"And would that be fair to him?  To put that pressure on him?"

"What do you mean?"

"If you'd give up your dreams for him then it puts pressure on Blaine to make sure things work out between you two."

"And what's to say it won't work out anyway?" Kurt asked.

"It might," Mr Anderson agreed, shocking Kurt into silence.  "But you'll have your bad times just like everyone else.  And if that pressure is there to make things work because one of you has given up something or done something for the other?  Then you're not going to want to deal with issues, you'll sweep stuff under the carpet.  You're both seventeen years old, you shouldn't have that pressure on you just yet.  I know it's bad enough that Blaine's a year behind you."

"Can I ask you something?" Kurt managed to say.  "Have you said any of this to Blaine?"  When Mr Anderson said nothing Kurt pressed it further.  "Why not?"

"Because he won't listen.  He has it in his head that..."

"That he's in a relationship with someone who looks like they should be turning tricks in a cage?" Kurt snapped.

"You know about that?"

"We heard.  He was so nervous about seeing you he had a panic attack, and then when he finally was able to come downstairs we heard you talking to my dad about..."

"I'm sorry," Mr Anderson said with real warmth and affection.  "Really.  I...  I shouldn't have said that."

"...Thank you," Kurt stammered.

"I just want Blaine to be happy."

"And I can't do that?"

"Well he seems to think so."

"But I don't fit in with the expectation of the family?  What?  A gay kid, gay marriage is going to put a dent in the Anderson reputation?"

"You have no idea what it's like."

"And you have no idea what it's like for him.  He feels like he's letting you down."

"He's the Anderson heir..."

"Yeah, and until a few years ago I was the only Hummel heir.  But my dad kinda knew me taking over a tire shop wasn't going to happen.  And even if Finn wasn't an option then he'd still want me to do something I wanted, something I loved."

Kurt started down the hallway but stopped, a little closer to Mr Anderson.  "How does an exec end up married to a music teacher?" he asked.  "Because if that was part of some grand design for heirs and appearances on the part of your parents then I've got you all wrong.  Because what Blaine's told me about you two, about how you got together?  It sounded a lot like one hell of a love story.  Unless I'm wrong of course."  He continued down the hallway, dragging the case with him but as he turned to enter Blaine's room he risked a glance.  Maybe he'd got Mr Anderson wrong in any case.

"Mr Anderson?" he called.  "The offer's still on the table.  Blaine still wants you to be part of his life.  Of our life.  I know what it's like to lose a parent and I got lucky with Carole.  I don't want that for Blaine, for him to feel like he's not got anyone that's his.  I want our kids to have a huge family around them because Blaine and I didn't come from that."

And with that Kurt pushed open the door, handed the case over to Blaine, and made up a story about taking his time judging the other cases the family had stored there.