Chapter 2

"It's so beautiful here, Blaine. I sometimes think we should stay here and live here. I don't feel worried about being bashed here." Kurt paused as they walked hand in hand along the Seine sipping coffees. The morning was bright and sunny.

Blaine reached into a bag and took out a pastry. "We could, you know."

"Could what? Stay here?"

"Yeah, if it's what you wanted. We could finish school and move here. It would be a great place for you with the entire fashion industry at your fingertips." Blaine knew Kurt would love it here. Kurt seemed to come alive or rather, seemed to be comfortable here.

Kurt turned and stopped them in their tracks. Blaine held the pastry to Kurt's lips waiting for him to bite. "Too fattening."

"It's our honeymoon. This is what newlyweds do." Blaine smiled innocently.

"Gain weight?"

"No. Feed each other food like lovesick fools. It's romantic and I want to give you romantic." Blaine waited. "I'll help you work it off later." He winked.

Reluctantly, Kurt opened his mouth for the pastry and he was actually glad he did. As he chewed, "Oh my fucking God. This melts like butter in my mouth. It's so good." He waited for Blaine to offer him another bite and he did. Kurt didn't waste any time accepting this time.

"So, do you want to?"

"Want to what, move here?" Kurt said while still chewing the pastry.

"Yeah." Blaine asked. He would do anything for Kurt.

"No. This isn't your dream Blaine. You wouldn't be able to pursue your career here." Kurt knew Blaine wanted to enter politics at some point in his future. After all, his major was Comparative Literature and Society. "You want to become a lawyer and fight for the things you believe in, fight for us. You would be so good at it and I would be so proud of you. I know that Blaine Anderson is destined to make a difference."

"Maybe, but, Blaine Anderson is not doing anything."

Kurt's eyebrows knitted together in confusion. Blaine was never anything but confident about his future. "What do you mean?"

"Blaine Hummel-Anderson will make a difference as long as his wonderful husband is with him. It doesn't matter where." He ducked his head a little, still getting used to being a Hummel-Anderson. "What better union exists in the world to become a politician and a lawyer." He was destined.

"You're right. Hummel is a politician and Anderson is the epitome of law. We'll do what's best for both of us."

"We will. We'll weigh our options and then decide what we do. Who knows, maybe I'm destined for International politics. My granddad is an international lawyer." They were both very positive about things.

They continued to walk, finally leaving the banks of the Seine and travelling away from it. Kurt stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at something that caught his attention. It was a building that looked familiar at first. It took Blaine a minute to realize where they were. In their wandering and talking, Blaine stopped paying attention to where they were walking. They wandered directly in front of the school that was the start of their biggest nightmare. Kurt paled, surely from remembering the awful things that happened here.

"Keep walking Kurt." Blaine wrapped an arm around his waist pulling him toward the opposite direction.

Kurt put a hand out to Blaine's chest. "No. Let's go in." Kurt stared at the building not waiting for Blaine's response.

Blaine was stunned. "No. Why would you want to go in? Kurt, we're past this. We need to keep the past in the past."

Kurt wasn't pale anymore, but his face was flat and unreadable. "I want to see." Then it dawned on Kurt that this may also hold ill memories for Blaine. After all, he had the scar to remind him every day. "Unless it's too difficult for you."

"Why would it be harder for me than you? This isn't where I got hurt, you did. It's too much." Blaine looked at Kurt lovingly. He caressed Kurt's cheek with the back of his fingers. He looked for uncertainty and fear. He was still unable to read him.

Kurt's hand ran across Blaine's abdomen where the scar from the past remained for them as a remembrance of where they'd been and how far they'd come. "Even though it didn't happen here, Blaine, it led to this." He caressed the cloth over the scar. "All of this led to the worst day of my entire existence, but I got so much more out of it." Kurt turned to Blaine and held both hands. "It gave us both strength that led to us getting married and being here today. Let's do this." Kurt pulled gently on Blaine's hands in the direction of the school.

Blaine was still reluctant to relive the memory, but if there was one thing that Kurt taught him, it was that he was strong. He and Kurt were strong together. This was part of their history and it would always be part of their history. It was what made them as strong as they were today. Blaine knew Kurt wanted this. He was nervous of what might happen, but knew that when Kurt was this determined, it would need to be done. They couldn't move forward on their honeymoon at this point without going in.

Blaine smiled at Kurt and allowed it. He hoped that it was the right decision, but no matter what, he and Kurt were married and would be there for each other. Kurt, strong beautiful Kurt, led them to the door where they found one to be open. "We should stop to see if the headmaster of this school is here." They made their way to the office and found the same Principal there. He was shocked to see them as he shook their hands. "We would like to just look around. If that's okay? The courtyard where we ate and the bathroom where the...uh..incident happened."

"Of course. It's nice to see that you're still together." He seemed concerned for the boys. "I still greatly regret the happenings here that day."

Kurt smiled at him. "We just got married. We're here on our honeymoon." Kurt paused before continuing. Instead of dwelling on the actual event he skipped it altogether. "Do you know what happened after all of this?"

He ducked his head in apology. "Yes, we were questioned a lot about the incident and then again when he was released. I'm sorry for all of your trouble."

Kurt brushed it off. Blaine was there with him. They were united in a way no one could come close to. "It's not your fault. You couldn't possibly know he was crazy and had issues. His own parents didn't even understand the issues he had." Kurt paused. "Do you happen to know?"

"We get updates and he is still in treatment in a prison. It's not a bad place as he could be, but he's there as of my last update a week ago. You've no need to worry. I get notified if he escapes or leaves since this was his last place of schooling and the incident occurred on the grounds." He responded understanding where Kurt was going.

Kurt looked uncomfortable now. "So we can go?"

"Take all the time you need. Please just stop here to let me know that you're leaving. We have tighter security standards now." Kurt nodded his understanding.

Blaine took his hand. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Kurt was stronger now. "I think it's all part of healing. I'm not sure I'll ever be over all of this, but I seem to make the right choices when it comes to things I need to do to heal."

Blaine kissed him. "It's because you're strong Kurt. You're so strong. You're my hero."

Kurt smiled brightly at Blaine. "You're silly. You're my hero. Only one of us can be a hero and it's you."

"That's where you're wrong, my love. We can be each other's heroes." Blaine believed it as they wandered to the back of the building and the area where they had their outdoor dinner.

Kurt stood in the middle of the area just looking around and slowly wandered to the place he remembered standing and meeting Paul for the first time. Blaine looked around himself. He wandered to the spot he was in when he noticed Kurt talking to Paul. As soon as he realized where Kurt was standing he walked over. He just waited for Kurt to speak. "This is where it started. Right here." He pointed to the spot on the ground. Kurt's gaze seemed to wander. His mind was somewhere else. "He was strange and bold and I remembered hating him from the moment he opened his mouth." Kurt went silent as he gazed around. "I remembered seeing you talking and enjoying yourself. You were smiling so wide. You know when your eyes crinkle at the corners? You were gorgeous."

"You were gorgeous." Blaine was patient with Kurt. Kurt was mature and though he wasn't sure what Kurt expected to get from this visit, he knew Kurt would need to do things at his own pace.

"It was beautiful out that night. Not unlike last night." Kurt turned entirely around and looked at the door that led to the bathroom that was the beginning of a nightmare that took a long time to vacate his thoughts. He started to walk toward it.

"Are you sure you're ready for this." Blaine stopped him. "I won't stop you and I'll be here with you every step of the way. I love you Kurt and you need to be very sure you're ready."

Kurt brought his hand to Blaine's cheek cupping it and caressing his face gently. "Sweet and beautiful Blaine. I love you so much. I'm ready. Let's go." He took Blaine's hand and dragged him through the door. They walked directly into the bathroom. Kurt didn't even hesitate. He stopped just inside the door and looked around. He didn't seem sad or anything. He looked very matter of fact. It was a bathroom after all. He dropped Blaine's hand and slowly walked to the corner where he was attacked. He reached his hand out and touched the wall gently. Nothing had changed since the attack. "It's still the same as I remember." Kurt said, yet he sounded off in the distance.

Blaine stayed where he was. He didn't want to make any moves that Kurt would feel like he was under the same attack from that fateful night. "I came in and saw you."

"You were my knight in shining armor." Kurt looked at the ground seemingly to think about something then raised his head to Blaine. "You saved me. You saved me and brought me to the condo. It was one of many times you saved me, you know."

"I'll always be there for you." Blaine walked to Kurt slowly and hesitantly until Kurt held out his hand to Blaine. Blaine reached out and let Kurt pull him to him.

They were in the corner, but not against the wall. Kurt hugged Blaine and looked into his eyes. His fingers moved into Blaine's hair brushing through the mass of curls. "I think I'm done here. Are you ready?"

It was abrupt and Blaine would definitely ask Kurt about it later, but not now. Kurt seemed fine. He seemed very in control of himself. "I'm ready when you are."

"I've seen enough and I'm ready to walk away. This time I walk away with confidence. I walk away from this place knowing it was only a bathroom. This was a bathroom that I visited with my husband. I caressed his beautiful face and looked into his kind, hazel eyes and saw how much he loves me." Kurt seemed content with the visit and didn't seem sad at all. Blaine understood. Kurt wanted it to be a place. Just a place, not a place where bad things happened.

"Where to next?" Blaine questioned, hoping for something more upbeat. This detour down a memory lane that most people would want to forget made him sad and longing for simpler times.

"I think it's time for lunch and shopping." Kurt said calmly and determined. Blaine thought that was the most perfect thing to do.

"Blaine. This would be beautiful in the entryway. I just don't know if it's worth it to buy it here and ship it." Kurt eyed a hand painted vase that would look beautiful in any entryway. The gallery they stopped in was quite expensive and Kurt didn't feel like he should spend the money.

"You can buy it if you really want it, Kurt." Blaine liked it, but it seemed pricey for something that was really a vase. "It just seems sort of ordinary really."

"The coloring is beautiful." Kurt said as he took a closer look without touching it. Then he really thought about it. "I wonder if we can go to a flea market and find something like this. Maybe more worn and loved."

Blaine couldn't help but smile. He always appreciated Kurt's eye for beauty, but his eye for a diamond in the rough was even more impressive. Kurt was very unique. "I like that idea.

After spending the next hour or so shopping in the mainstream, Kurt purchased scarves. A lot of scarves. He also managed to find two shirts and a pair of shoes for Blaine and a pair of dark wash jeans for Blaine as well. "These are going to be fabulous with that shirt you have. I can't wait to see what they look like together."

"You can't wait to see my ass." Blaine chuckled.

"I can't wait to see your ass in the dark wash jeans. I think it'll look delicious, though your ass looks delicious in any pants you wear."

You can dress me up later, sweetheart." Blaine promised.

It was a few hours later when there were walking along the street through a large flea market. "There have to be millions of artists selling their artwork for dollars. It would be a neat idea to say we bought something off of a street artist after someone saw it and thought it was priceless." They walked hand in hand examining piece after piece and artwork after artwork. There were so many artists of different types here. You could find anything you wanted out here. It was across the walkway that something caught Kurt's eye. The colors seemed to glow in the sunlight and drew him in. He wandered directly to it and held it up. "This is a beautiful bowl. I like better than the million dollar vase. See this intricate detail. It's like it was the wrong color but then you look at it again and it's perfect. Perfectly complimentary." Kurt smiled at it. It was like he and Blaine. Kurt's pale smooth skin and eyes complimented Blaine's olive rougher and slightly hairy build and darker eyes. Even their hair was different.

The artist walked up behind them. His French accent quite thick. "I make it myself." He smiled hopeful that they were considering purchasing.

Blaine looked at Kurt as he held it up to the sunlight. "It is exquisite."

"It's almost like feathers or a drape. I love it." Kurt turned it around in his hands to view all the sides.

"Are we buying it?"

Kurt was positive and smiled brightly. "We are."

Blaine talked to the man as Kurt continued to peruse the other items. He picked up a platter that held the same colors. Kurt deduced that they were made at the same time. The artist confirmed it. "I made them together."

"Then we shouldn't separate them. Some things are meant to stay together." He looked at Blaine who matched his knowing smile.

"We'll take them both." Blaine handed him the money. "Thank you sir. Enjoy the day."

Kurt placed them gently in the bag from their earlier shopping. Kurt felt like he got the best deal of the day. He carried away his platter and bowl. He knew where he planned to put them. It would look fantastic on the entryway table with the painting from spring break behind it on the wall. His creative juices flowed in this moment. He and Blaine started to trek back toward home all kisses and hand holding. They were in the moment. It was romance at its best and Kurt couldn't be any happier than right now. "This is the best honeymoon ever."

"I didn't know you had anything to compare it too." Blaine teased.

"Maybe you'll have to take me on honeymoons every year and then I can compare them."

"I would gladly do that. Does that mean we get to fuck like rabbits every year for two weeks?" Blaine was cheeky. They had shared some very difficult things today by visiting the school and both silently agreeing that it was behind them. Blaine wanted nothing more than to sit on the terrace, order food in and drink wine for the rest of the afternoon. A nap also seemed in order so that the strength for the night could be replenished. It was afte rall, the second night of their honeymoon and they had only made love once at this point.

"Let's focus on that for tonight. Until then, I'm feeling creative. Let's go home, sit on the terrace. You can nap and cuddle while I draw a little bit."

"It's like you can read my mind, my love."

"You'll need the strength if you plan on fucking me all night." Kurt winked.

That was all Blaine needed to hear to hail a taxi. Getting home quickly was something that was quite necessary now.