There he was.

Kurt stopped dead in his tracks on the carpet, ignoring his publicist telling him to keep moving along, and stared right at him.  He knew he wasn’t dreaming because he felt all the pain in his chest to be reminded that he was still awake.  Every emotion he felt the day Blaine left came shooting right back up from the pit of his stomach straight to his heart and his head and it made him dizzy.

“Kurt, honey, what’s wrong?” Lauren, his publicist asked.

Kurt opened his mouth to answer her but nothing came out.  No words could explain how confused and angry he felt.

And then he was walking.  His brain wasn’t keeping up with his legs and he tried to tell himself to stop, to turn your ass around, Kurt, and don’t do this, but he kept his stride.

His heart was racing as he came up right behind him and lightly tapped him on the shoulder.

Blaine spun around, and immediately locked eyes with Kurt.  A small gasp escaped his lips. “Kurt, oh my-“

“No. Don’t say anything.” Kurt cut him off.  His face was red with rage and his breathing heavy.  Blaine, looking hurt and also understanding, nodded and waited for Kurt to say something. Anything. But Kurt didn’t know what to say. How could he put into simple words what he had felt for three, miserable years without him?  Three years of wondering and questioning and hating himself because he didn’t know why he left.  No reason or explanation, he was just gone.

Kurt looked Blaine straight in the eye, moving a few steps closer, and demanded, “Give me an answer. A straight answer, Blaine, and not some bullshit story. I want to know why you left.”

Kurt had tears in his eyes as Blaine’s face shifted into one of a kicked baby animal.  But Kurt didn’t care.  He didn’t care that Blaine was sad now because Kurt had been sad for three terrible years!

“Okay, but not here. Not where you have to put on a brave face for the cameras and I have my own celebrity to look after.” Blaine gestured to the small, brown haired girl speaking into a mic. “How about tomorrow? Coffee?” He continued.

Kurt just nodded and, barely audible, whispered, “Your place. Noon. Still at the same dumpy apartment?”

Blaine allowed himself to smile a little and nodded. “See you there.”

Kurt turned on his heels and strutted back over to Lauren, who looked infinitely pissed and concerned at the same time.  Before she could even say a word, he held up his hand and shook his head because he was not going to talk about it right then and there.  Lauren nodded and guided him over to another camera to smile into, another interviewer to “wow”, and another lie to tell that he was doing just fine. Kurt gave his head a little shake and with one final look over to Blaine, turned his attention to the reporter and introduced himself, “Hi, I’m Kurt Hummel.”

            11:55am the next day, Kurt was found pacing in front of Blaine’s apartment door in Queens. He didn’t want to go in and face him and have Blaine see him vulnerable.  Kurt knew he was going to cry because it’s all he did when he thought about Blaine.  They were everything, they were perfect. And then it all went away in a split second.  There was no closure and for Kurt, that was the biggest blow of them all.  But he knew he had to get an answer and if this was the only way, then he was going to do it.  So he knocked a couple times and took a step back, bracing himself for the emotional roller coaster he knew he was about to board.

            Blaine answered the door within a few seconds.  His eyes were tired and red, like he hadn’t slept at all.  He was still in his pajamas and his hair was sticking out in all different places. Blaine smiled a bit and gestured for Kurt to come in. “Hey.” He said to Kurt after shutting the door behind them.

Kurt took a nice, deep breath and replied, “Hi.”

The two stood there with an awkwardness lingering between them until Blaine spoke up. “So, coffee? I just finished making a pot.” He walked into the kitchen and started to pour the drink into two white and green striped mugs.  Kurt used this time to look around the apartment he used to know so well. They had so many memories in here.  He sighed as he spotted an old blanket that they once took with them on a picnic in central park during one of their earlier dates.  It was all so overwhelming to be there, but Kurt swallowed any trace of uncertainty about this trip and walked into the kitchen where Blaine was holding out a mug for him that was steaming at the top.  The two sat down at the small table off to the side of the room that was placed underneath a window looking out into a park.  For a moment, the two just stared at each other, studying each other’s faces that both had matured a bit since the last time they saw each other.  After a bit, Blaine sighed and started to speak. “Let me start by saying how incredible you look.”

Kurt scoffed at him, appalled at the start of this heart wrenching experience. “That’s the first thing you want to say to me, Blaine?  Do you not remember why I’m here? All I want is a reason why you up and left without a word and then I want to leave and never see you again!” Kurt realized he was yelling by the end of his rant, with tears forming at his eyes and his cheeks burning up.  Regardless of Kurt’s anger, Blaine remained calm and took a deep breath.

“I know, Kurt, I know. I just wanted to remind you that we weren’t always like this.  We were happy once, you know? We loved each other so much.” His voice cracked as the last sentence came out and then he broke down.  Any calmness he had before had now been shattered and Blaine was falling to pieces right in front of Kurt’s eyes.  His head fell into his hands and a few sobs escaped his throat, causing his shoulders to shake.  Kurt felt as if someone punched his stomach and slapped his face all at once.  Instinct told him to reach out and hold Blaine’s hand because that’s what he always did with Blaine.  He always made sure Blaine knew that Kurt was there for him and that they would get through it together.  But that was the past and this was now.  So Kurt stood his ground and, as painful as it was, folded his arms in front of him and waited for Blaine to calm down.  A few moments passed and Blaine lifted his head, wiped his eyes, and chuckled at himself. “I told myself I wasn’t going to cry.” He said, almost to himself.  Kurt nodded, I told myself the same thing. Except Kurt was going to stick to it.  Blaine looked up with his sparkling golden eyes, glistening from the tears.  They looked sad, tired, and lost.  Like Blaine was floating along in this world without a care or purpose.  And that made Kurt mad because he was the one who left for bigger and better things.  Kurt shouldn’t be feeling sorry for him.

Kurt looked hard at Blaine, looking for an answer to every question he ever had in his expression. Finally, he spoke, “Why?”

Blaine looked out the window, down at the park where two little girls were playing.  One of them was pushing the other on the swing set and they both were laughing.  Blaine smiled down at them and then looked back up at Kurt. “Do you remember when we first met?” He asked, already knowing the answer but wanting a response from Kurt.

Of course Kurt remembered.  Kurt nodded and a tiny, little smile fell upon his lips. “It was your interview.”

At 5:27pm on Friday, May 3rd, 2008, Kurt Hummel was ready to go home and sleep for the entire weekend.  He had spent the day in meetings with a splattering of casting directors and producers who wanted Kurt for their next big movie or TV series.  Kurt loved his job as an actor, and he loved the people he worked with and got to meet.  But it was all becoming too much for him to handle on his own. 

So on that late Friday afternoon, Kurt was waiting in the back corner of a Starbucks for the first person interviewing to be his assitant.  Kurt flipped through the man’s file as he sipped his caramel macciato and briefed himself on, let’s see, Mr. Blaine Anderson of Westerville, OH. Hmm, he thought to himself, another Ohio boy.  Just as Kurt shut the file, a young and eager man came bursting through the door with a hopeful grin and a stack of papers.  This had to be him. 

Kurt stood up and waved the man over.

“Hi, Mr. Hummel, I’m Blaine Anderson. It’s such a thrill to meet you, I’m such a fan.” Blaine said and shook Kurt’s hand with a firmness that made Kurt think this guy is high off of something awesome and energetic.

“Please, Kurt. It’s nice to meet you as well, Blaine. I was just reading through your file and you have a great list of references and experience.” They both sat down opposite each other and for a few seconds, just looked at each other.  Kurt had to admit it to himself, Blaine Anderson was stunning.  He had golden brown eyes that shimmered in the light and a smile that made his stomach flip. Kurt prayed to whatever being up above that this Greek Adonis was gay. 

“So tell me, Blaine, why should you be my assistant?” Kurt asked and leaned forward a bit, placing his folded hands on the table.  Blaine giggled and shifted in his seat before answering, like a little child. “Well, I know a lot about the business and I am an extremely efficient person that can get a lot done in great timing.  And I really just love your work and all that you stand for.  Being gay myself, it’s great seeing all your success and hard work being admired in the public eye.”

Bingo, Kurt thought to himself. 

“Blaine, I like you. I really like you and I would love it if you would come on board as my assistant.” Kurt leaned back in his chair a bit and put out his hand for Blaine.  The look on Blaine’s face was absolutely priceless.  His face lit up as he jumped out of his seat, scurried around the table, and embraced Kurt in a rib-cracking hug.  Kurt laughed and hugged Blaine back

. “Thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Blaine rushed out as he pulled away. “You won’t regret this, I promise!” Kurt smiled at him and stood up, collecting all of his belongings. Kurt took the opportunity while they were both standing to give his new assistant a once-over.  He was a little shorter than Kurt, but was built in places Kurt wasn’t.  His tan skin almost made Kurt drool and/or throw Blaine down right then and there. While Kurt was gazing at the boy, Blaine’s cheeks turned a rosy pink when he realized he was being stared at. 

“Can I walk you home, Blaine?” Kurt asked. 

Blaine was overcome with a new sense of confidence and replied, “I would love that, Mr. Boss.” He giggled and picked up his bag. 

The two left the coffee shop and walked the few blocks to where Blaine’s apartment was, walking past a quaint little park next to the building.  Kurt and Blaine stood outside the apartment door for a few seconds before Blaine spoke up. “Thank you again, Kurt. For the job, the walk home. Everything.” He shifted his weight from one foot to the other and looked down at his shoes.  Kurt smiled at the boy and nudged his shoulder a bit.

“Thank you for taking the job.  But if we’re going to work together, you’re going to have to stop this whole sexy, shy guy act because if you don't, I won’t be able to do my job properly.” And then Kurt left.  He looked back over his shoulder to see Blaine still standing in the same spot, shocked at Kurt’s parting words.  As he turned back around, Kurt smiled a goofy smile and thought to himself, I could get use to this guy.

Kurt’s smile dissolved as the memory started to fade and reality set in again. Blaine noticed the change in Kurt’s expression and used the opportunity to comment. “That was the day I knew you would change my life.”