“I'll always love you, Kurt.” Blaine whispered as he held Kurt in a tight embrace, fighting back the tears that so badly wanted to fall. Kurt nodded his head against his shoulder, not able to force out any words.

Flight 271 to New York is now boarding.

“I'm never saying goodbye to you.” Kurt said against his shoulder, tears evident in his voice.

“Then I'll say it for you; goodbye, Kurt.” And then Blaine was able to untangle himself from Kurt's arms, and he stepped away to see Kurt looking at him with a hurt expression, tears rolling down his cheek and he exhaled and picked up the duffel bag containing his hand luggage. He lifted it over his shoulder, looked at Blaine one last time before going towards the gateway and showing his boarding pass to the airport staff, being nodded at and sent through the glass doors in to the rain. As Blaine watched Kurt board the plane, he felt his heart break; it wasn't meant to be goodbye, it was meant to be an 'I'll see you soon', and he turned it in to a goodbye. Why?! It took all of his restraint not to become a blubbering wreck and fall to the floor, but when the plane had taken off, Blaine had to physically drag himself out of the airport. And when he got in to his car, he let his head fall against the steering wheel, tears streaming down his face as he hammered his fist on the dashboard, letting out disgruntled grunts of annoyance and anger. Like his fist, the rain pounded in to the car heavily.

Walking on to the plane, Kurt felt like he had left a part of him behind, like it was stood by the window watching him, hoping that he would turn back and get it so he could bring it with him. He obeyed the air hostess' commands on where to place his carry on, how to put his belt on and tighten it correctly, and to keep it on until the light went out. As soon as they had taken off and the seatbelt sign had gone off, Kurt pulled his legs up on to the seat and leaned against the side of the plane, crying silently as he did. Eventually, Kurt cried himself to sleep, dreaming of Blaine... Blaine and him.

Kurt woke with a start as the plan hit the ground. He could feel the dry tear tracks on his face, and he could tell that he was going to struggle out here in New York. He knew nothing about the place other than what he had read, seen in movies, and the few things he had learned when there for Nationals in his penultimate year of high school. More so, he had nobody that he knew there.

He had no Blaine. Ever.

His face crumpled up as he thought about Blaine; who would hold him when he felt sad? Who would he be able to confide in when he needed an honest opinion? Who would duet with him at Christmas? Who would lick the bowl when he made cupcakes? Would he still be able to talk with the Warblers – sorry, ex-Warblers – and hang out with them? Would he ever see Blaine again?

Was this goodbye forever?

When Blaine got home, he ran upstairs to his bedroom and was throwing himself on his bed, tears continuing to stream down his face. And when he inhaled, he sobbed even harder – he could smell Kurt on his freaking pillow! The world was such a cruel place sometimes. Wrapping his arms around the pillow and pressing it in to his face, he cried as he smelt Kurt, remembering the times Kurt had held him when he had cried.

“Blaine, honey, wh... what is it?” Kurt asked, his voice full of worry when he saw Blaine on his doorstep in the rain, his eyes red and puffy.

Blaine sobbed, “It... it's my mom... there were... she's...Kurt, she's gone! She's really gone!”, and then all but fell in to Kurt's arms and cried, his face pressed in to Kurt's neck, inhaling the smell that was just Kurt.

His mom had died from Cancer, in the hospital, just weeks after the doctors had said she was making good progress.

Blaine bit his lip to stop himself from crying. Sure, it had been nearly three years, but it still hurt. It would always hurt.

Kurt's hand soothed his back as he calmly said “It's okay. It's okay, baby. They... they can't do any of that to you any more. You're safe... and you're perfect.”

He had told Kurt about the bullying, the beatings, the hating who he was.

Blaine hated that the only things he could think about now were times when he was sad or upset, and Kurt had had to look after him. He should have been trying to take his mind off of Kurt, but... he couldn't. Kurt was... Kurt was one of the most important things – most important person – in his life. He had been with Kurt for over four years, and now he was just – gone! He was out of his life so suddenly. It was like his water wings had suddenly disappeared and he was drowning.

He couldn't do this.

Kurt twisted the keys in the lock, a heavy feeling in his stomach as he opened the door to his new home. Instantly, he felt a cold feeling come over him when he crossed the barrier in to the small, pokey apartment – it wasn't homey at all. With a sigh, he stepped through in to the small box-like apartment and looked around, thinking that it had looked far nicer in the advert, and felt himself frown.

This place would look so much nicer with some pictures on the walls, Kurt thought to himself, trying to ignore the drab look of the place.

A small voice whispered in the back of his head what he didn't want to hear; of you and Blaine.

With a sigh, Kurt ignored the words and made for what he hoped was the bedroom, collapsing on to the bed and crying lightly to himself.

Dialling... Kurt

Calling... Kurt

“Hello?”

Blaine's lip quivered as he heard Kurt's voice.

“Blaine? Blaine, are you there?”

He could hear the tears in Kurt's voice, and it caused one to slip down his cheek.

“Blaine, please talk to me. Please, I just need to hear your voice... I... I'm all alone, and it's... it's not like I thought it would be. Please?” Kurt's voice cracked on the last word.

“I...” Blaine ended the call, unable to speak another syllable. It had been a week since Kurt had left, and Blaine so desperately missed him. He wanted to tell him this, but he wanted Kurt to move on, to live his life in New York without feeling like he had to lag behind and wait for Blaine. With a sigh, Blaine threw his cellphone to the foot of his bed and slumped back against the pillows, feeling a few stray tears start to fall.

His first semester at NYADA felt like an eternity. With doing his work at uni, bring home his studies, and then to a cold, dank apartment each night, Kurt felt his life had become very dull, a chore almost. But, finally, he was on his way home to see his family for Christmas – and Blaine. Well, he hoped Blaine would see him, he wasn't all that sure. Since the first call he had gotten a week before class started, Kurt had heard nothing of Blaine at all.

When he landed and was off of the plane, he took a deep breath, grinning at the smell of the crisp Ohio winter. He pulled his holdall over his shoulder and made his way to the luggage carousel, retrieving his suitcase quickly and making his way to the front of the airport to look for his dad. Spotting the familiar car parked in the pick-up bay, Kurt walked towards it, his suitcase trundling behind him as he made for the trunk, opening it and lifting his suitcase in it. Then he slid in to the front seat, turning to greet his father.

“Hey, Da-” He stopped, his breath catching in his throat when he saw a mess of dark curls staring back at him. “Blaine?”, his voice became thick as it felt like his throat was closing off.

“I... I'm sorry.”

“What?”

“I'm sorry, Kurt. I shouldn't have said goodbye to you – I didn't want to... I just, I didn't want to hold you back. I miss you, and,” he exhaled deeply, “I need you.”

“What?”

“Kurt, I don't want us not to be together. If you will take me back, then I'm willing to try and make it work long distance.” He looked down at the steering wheel, “I don't expect you to want to take me back, but... I get it if you don't want to I mean, why would you? I'm just some juni-” Blaine was cut off when Kurt caught his chin in his fingers and pulled him in for a kiss. “Does that mean...?” Blaine murmured against Kurt's lips.

“Just shut up and kiss me!” Kurt said, closing the small gap between their lips.