63 hours until his appointment

Kurt can’t sleep. It’s just a couple of days until his procedure, and all Kurt can think about is Blaine. There was a time, not all that long ago, when he’d hoped Blaine was his soulmate. Then that was taken away from him when he found out Blaine already knew who his soulmate – his platonic soulmate – is.

So Kurt, like he always does, adapted. Well, somewhat. He couldn’t seem to shake this crush on Blaine, but he could channel it into something else. So what if Blaine has a platonic soulmate? Kurt could still be his romantic partner, a boyfriend or even more. So after weeks of girls’ nights and cheesecake and more tears than he cared to admit, Kurt accepted that he might still be important to Blaine but in a different way. That Blaine could still be incredibly important to Kurt, more than he already is.

Then came the double hit of the guy Blaine liked, also known as Jeremiah, and then Finn. And God, of all people, really? Finn? And it didn’t make sense, but he could kind of see it, and he couldn’t even be completely mad at Blaine. Yes, okay, he’s furious with Blaine for keeping that a secret. However, Kurt is also angry with himself for once again setting himself up for heartbreak.

So with all that rolling around in his head, plus the looming procedure this Friday, and yes, of course, a French test tomorrow … no wonder he can’t sleep.

Maybe he needs warm milk.

* * * * * * * * *

27 hours until his appointment

Kurt’s nerves are getting the better of him, which is why he’s currently skipping the lunch hour and hiding in the library. He’s anxious about tomorrow. What if he doesn’t see anything? What if all this is for nothing? Or what if he does see something but it isn’t enough to figure out who his soulmate is?

Then again, what if he does see enough to know? What then? Kurt isn’t 100% sure what he’ll do about it, at least at first. Maybe it would just be enough to know for certain he’s out there. But could he really know who his soulmate is and not contact him?

Not for the first time, Kurt starts to wonder if it’s worth it. He shakes his head. Of course it’s worth it, he thinks. Unknown soulmates are wonderful in theory, but they don’t do much to help you feel less lonely in reality.

“I knew you’d be here.” Kurt looks up to see Jeff standing over him, holding a cafeteria tray.

Kurt smiles. “Hey. How did you know where to find me?”

“Surveillance cameras, obviously.” Jeff grins. “But even if I didn’t have them, which I totally do, I’d still know you’re here. This is the library section for hiders.”

“Right, of course. How could I’ve been so dense?” Kurt smiles a little bigger.

Jeff shrugs. “Happens to the best of us.” He holds out the tray. “Here. Garden chicken salad, heavy on the tomatoes, light on the olives, with your favorite blueberry vinaigrette on the side.”

“You’re the best.”

“I know. Oh, and here’s a bottle of water, and oh wait, what the hell?”

“What?” Kurt asks, slightly alarmed.

“How did that lemon tart get on the tray?”

Kurt rolls his eyes but his smile grows wider still. “You’re an idiot.”

“Well sure, how else do you explain the fact that I walked all the way from the dining hall with a large luscious lemony pastry and didn’t even notice it?” Jeff puts the tray down on the table in front of Kurt and swoops in to put his face right up in Kurt’s. “Does it look like I need my eyes checked? Quick, ask me what I see!”

“Stop!” Kurt laughs, pushing Jeff down into the chair next to him. “I can’t eat with your eye in my way.”

“Ungrateful. I’m going blind, and you don’t even care.”

* * * * * * * * *

1 hour until his appointment

As soon as the office aide walks into his Chemistry classroom, Kurt knows the dismissal slip is for him. Dad absolutely insisted on picking him up, even though Kurt said they could meet at the clinic in Columbus. His father wanted to take him, however, so he hadn’t really fought him on it.

What Kurt doesn’t expect is to see Wes, David, Jeff, Nick, and Thad inside the headmaster’s office. They all smile at him, and Wes takes him aside.

“Whatever happens, whatever happens, we’re here, okay?” Wes puts his hand on Kurt’s shoulder. “This afternoon, tomorrow, next week, whenever you want to talk, we’re all here for you.”

These Dalton boys make it impossible for him not to cry. “Thanks, Wes,” he whispers. He turns to the other guys. “Thank you all. You don’t know how much I appreciate it.”

Jeff hugs him, and Burt clears his throat. “We gotta go.” He looks every one of the Warblers in the eye and says, “Thanks, boys, for looking out for him. He’s lucky to have you.”

The guys smile and murmur their thanks, waving goodbye as Kurt and his dad walk out to the truck. “I’m glad you’ve made some friends here. I know it’s been hard with changin’ schools and everything.”

Kurt, already overly emotional to begin with today, feels a tear slide down his cheek. “Yeah,” he answers, unable to say much more.

* * * * * * * * *

The drive to the OSU Medical Center isn’t far, and Kurt takes the time to answer texts from his friends at McKinley. His phone has been blowing up with messages throughout the day, but he hasn’t been able to respond to most of them since Dalton has a strict “no phones during school hours” policy.

There’s at least one text from every member of New Directions, and multiple ones from Mercedes, Rachel, Tina, and, surprisingly, Puck. Of course, most of Puck’s are suggestions about what to do sexually once he’s found his soulmate, but still. Kurt tries to focus on the thought behind it.

* * * * * * * * *

Kurt is glad his father came with him. Just the waiting room is slightly overwhelming, though part of that could be his nerves. The pre-procedure information is mostly a repeat of what he learned in his prep appointment at the beginning of the month, and then it’s time to strap on the wires and coils and everything.

Dad laughs at him when Kurt grills the nurse on how much hair she has to shave (just a very tiny circle), how long it will take to grow back (there’s nothing about the procedure or equipment that would cause hair to grow slower than normal), and whether or not the rest of his hair covers the areas (almost completely).

And then Dr. Harris is in the room and they’re going over the last minute instructions and oh my God this is happening and why does his stomach feel like someone is squeezing it and twisting it and –

“Breathe, Kurt,” Dad says, taking his hand from where he sits next to him. “If it’s this much of a worry, you don’t have to do it, you know.”

Kurt nods, breathes deeply (in and out, in and out), and meets his father’s gaze. “I’m fine, I promise. Just nerves, but I want to do this. Really.”

His dad nods, slowly at first, but then with more confidence. “Okay.”

Kurt looks over at the doctor. “I’m ready.”

Dr. Harris shifts out of his view and almost immediately Kurt hears a humming sound. “Anytime now, you may start to see something,” she says. “Let us know when it happens, okay? And remember we’ll still be able to hear everything you say. You won’t actually going to be leaving the room, no matter what it seems like.”

“Got it,” Kurt replies.

Seconds go by and the wait it almost agonizing. At least when he wasn’t strapped in he could do other things to take his mind off of what was going to happen, but now … now it’s a waiting game. He looks over at his dad. “Would you have done this to find Mom?” he asks, too late for it to matter.

His dad smiles, a big grin that Kurt knows to be true. “Kiddo, I woulda done anything in my power to get to your mother.”

Kurt closes his eyes and exhales quickly, and when he opens his eyes –

* * * * * * * * *

He can’t see anything. It’s dark, but the kind of dark where there’s light on the other side. It takes a second for Kurt to realize what that means.

“Dad?” He feels his father squeeze his hand. “Dad, I can’t. His eyes are closed. They’re closed, and I – I won’t see anything. This wasn’t the … I was going to …”

“Now.” Kurt hears his father say something, but it’s faint, like he’s turned away.

“Dad?”

And then his soulmate opens his eyes, and Kurt gasps.

It’s bright at first, adjusting from darkness to – that’s sunlight. There’s white in front of him, someone’s hands on the outskirts of his vision, and as his eyes adapt he realizes someone – his soulmate – is holding a poster board out in front of himself. Everything else is obscured so that all he sees is the poster, and there, in bold black letters:

Hi, Kurt. It’s Blaine.

“Oh my God, Blaine?”

The poster is flipped away and another is in it’s place.

I know this isn’t what you were expecting

Flip.

And I’m sure this is confusing

Flip.

But I’d like to explain, if you’ll let me

The poster stays in place for several seconds, and Kurt waits but nothing happens until it finally flips again.

I don’t want to force you, so you need to say yes or no

Kurt struggles for a second with what to do. Blaine can’t hear him, can he?“Um, yes?” he says out loud.

He hears his father’s voice. “He said yes.” And then Kurt understands. His dad is on the phone with someone who can talk to Blaine.

Kurt will be having such a conversation with his father when this is all over.

Flip.

Thank you, Kurt

Flip.

Anything you read from now on

Flip.

Pretend it’s me saying it

The poster board is dropped completely, and Kurt can finally see beyond it. He gasps again and starts crying.

There, several feet away, are his family and friends – from McKinley and Dalton – each holding a piece of poster board with something written on it.

One by one they step forward, allowing Kurt time to read, before moving out of the way for someone else.

Mercedes: You once told me that you’re a Romantic

Brittany: And you were waiting for signs to lead you to your soulmate

David: I hope these signs will lead you to me

Finn, standing there with wide eyes, shaking his head: I know I thought my soulmate was Finn

Sam: But I was wrong, it wasn’t him I saw through

Nick: It was you – it just took me a long time to see it

Wes: But it’s always been you, Kurt

Quinn: Even when I thought my soulmate was someone else

Tina: You were the one I wanted

Mike: You were the one I needed

Tina & Mike both flip their signs over to the back, both reading: Always

Santana: Now, I can’t promise you a fairy tale ending

Carole: Life doesn’t always work like that even when we want it to

Artie: But I can promise that for as long as you’ll let me

Puck: I will respect and support you

Lauren: I will listen to you and talk to you

Thad: I will never keep anything from you ever again

Rachel: And I will do everything in my power to make you happy

Another sign moves into his vision, closer this time, held up by Blaine: Because you move me, Kurt

The sign drops again to reveal Jeff, holding a sign that looks different than the others, with different handwriting than the rest: And now that he’s not being an idiot

Mr. Schue: I’m asking for a chance to prove it

Miss Pillsbury: Take whatever time you need

Coach Sylvester: To figure out if this is what you want

Mercedes: I’ll be here, Kurt, as long as I have to wait

Mercedes then flips her card around to reveal the back: I promise.

All of a sudden there are at least three-dozen red roses filling up the bottom two-thirds of his line of sight, and Kurt sees his friends, his loved ones, over the top of them, gathering into a group. They’re in front of the courtyard fountain at Dalton, and while most look his way and smile, he notices Brittany, Jeff, and a couple of others waving.

Blaine brings his hand up, the one not holding the flowers, Kurt guesses, and starts touching his cheeks. Wiping away tears, Kurt realizes with a start. And then –

* * * * * * * * *

Kurt is back in the doctor’s office. He realizes his own cheeks are wet, as is part of his shirt from where his tears have fallen. He starts to sit up, but is stopped by the procedure equipment. He looks over and chokes out, “Dad?”

His father speaks into a phone. “He’s out … Okay … Yeah.” And then hangs up.

“Oh God, Dad, why did you hang up? I need to … how do I … will somebody get me out of this mess?” he all but screams.

The nurse and doctor are already behind and to the side of him, unhooking everything. Kurt has to sit through questions and another exam, and the whole time he barely feels like he’s holding it together.

When he’s finally out and done and the last of the government forms have been signed, he pulls his father to the parking lot. “Come on, Dad! He’s waiting!”

They get in the truck, but before his father pulls out of the parking space, he turns to Kurt. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

“Yes, absolutely,” Kurt answers. “Please. Please get this vehicle moving, or I swear I will throw you out and make you walk home!”

His dad just laughs. “You always were a bossy thing.”

* * * * * * * * *

The drive back to Dalton seemingly takes forever, but finally, finally they’re back. Kurt jumps out of the truck before his father has completely parked and ignores his father’s yell. He runs around the buildings to the courtyard where he knows Blaine will be waiting and stops when he sees him. Sure enough, there he is, sitting on the edge of the fountain, looking down at his hands, one jittery leg bouncing up and down.

Kurt walks forward, hurried without running, and when he’s halfway there Blaine hears him and glances up. He looks scared or nervous or hopeful or all of the above, and Kurt just keeps walking toward him.

Blaine starts to say something, but Kurt hushes him, shaking his head no. Blaine’s eyes grow bigger, worried, so Kurt doesn’t make him wait. They’ve done enough of that. “Me?” he asks Blaine.

“You,” Blaine answers, studying Kurt carefully.

Kurt smiles at him, the one where he doesn’t let himself worry about what he looks like because all that matters is how utterly happy he is. Blaine smiles too and leans forward slowly, giving Kurt time to move away, which he has absolutely no intention of doing.

And Blaine is kissing him, soft but firm, just the press of lips without much movement at first, until Kurt really starts kissing back. Blaine’s lips are warm and full, and his hand is on Kurt’s face, gently holding him in place. It’s maybe the best Kurt has ever felt, and then Blaine breaks the kiss, both of them breathing heavily. Kurt’s heart is pounding, skin is buzzing, lips feel ever-so-slightly-swollen. They look at each other again and grin.

Just as Kurt goes in to kiss Blaine for a second time, because he can, he hears cheering from across the lawn. He and Blaine turn to find all of his friends and family standing on the steps to the library. Blaine and Kurt both start laughing, joyful and giddy and elated.

Kurt beams at them, happier than he’s been in such a long time, and he feels Blaine slide an arm around as he leans in to whisper, “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

Kurt rolls his eyes because there was never any doubt. This is exactly everything he’s wanted for months. He moves in to kiss his soulmate again.