A Love That Lasts

Chapter 9

"Kurt!"

Kurt turned around at the sound of his name being called through the busy airport and smiled when he saw his best friends rushing towards him. As Rachel Berry and Mercedes Jones approached, he quickly nodded to Steve and Roger who nodded and stepped back to let the girls through. Within seconds both girls had pulled him into a fierce hug.

"Good to see you to," Kurt said. "But I can't breathe."

Both girls pulled away and Mercedes smiled at him, "It is good to see you Kurt, we missed you!"

Rachel nodded, "With you here we are so going to win regionals."

"I missed you guys, it is good to be back," Kurt replied with a smile. "But I thought Finn was coming too."

"Right here bro."

Kurt turned to see his tall stepbrother striding towards him, followed closely by his one secret service agent. When Finn reached him the two brothers hugged swiftly. Though they were not alike in the least, Kurt and Finn had become good friends since their parents married and while they didn't have the chance to see each other much these days, so reunions were always exciting. Finn finally reached Kurt and pulled him into his second crushing hug of the day.

"So how have things been in the White House lately?" Finn asked.

"Busy and crazy as always," Kurt remarked. "I'm still surprised you want to miss all that fun."

Finn paled slightly at the thought, "Yeah I think I will let you have all that fun, I'm happy at McKinley."

"Also known as slushy capital of the world," Kurt replied. "I seriously don't miss having all my designer clothes ruined by red dye number 5."

"You know you miss it," Mercedes joked.

Kurt winced not because he really did miss the bullying but because he had truly missed the simple life of going to an average high school attending glee club, and dreaming of getting out of Lima, Ohio. Now he spent his days in the most famous residence in the country, was home school, and had all his days planned out because like it or not he was a political pawn.

"I will always miss you guys," Kurt replied with a smile.

The next couple days Kurt kept busy between going to glee rehearsals and learning the regional choreography, catching up with his stepmother and friends, and working on his school work. It was certainly a nice change of pace staying at his childhood home rather than in a home that never truly felt like one due to all the strangers coming in and out at all hours of the day.

The only unfortunate thing about being back in Ohio was hat it gave Kurt lots of time to think, and most of those thoughts were centered on a handsome curly haired boy with the most gorgeous golden eyes. He knew without a date that he had shared his first kiss with his soul mate, with Blaine Anderson, and that thought thrilled and scared him. He wanted so much to find Blaine again whether it was at Dalton or somewhere else in D.C. Still just knowing that his soul mate was back home and he was in Ohio also made him heartsick.

When the day of the regionals competition arrived, Kurt and Finn rode in a car with their security detail, following the bus that carried everyone else. They were both subjected to staying in the green room during the other competitions since sitting in the audience was too much of a security risk for them. When Kurt passed people from the other show choirs backstage he was well aware of how they were all whispering about him behind his back. It was the fate of being the President's son he supposed.

While Kurt only had a small solo in one song of the competition, he was very visible on the stage during the majority of the competition. And despite the rules against photography during the show, he saw the flash of several cameras throughout the performance. Kurt had no doubt in his mind that his face was sure to be splashed all across the internet in no time, but he figured that at least it would be a picture of him doing something he loved.

"And the winner of this year's Midwest Regional Show Choir Competition is—from McKinley High, the New Directions!"

Kurt let out a scream that was drowned out by his classmates who were all shouting and jumping up and down as Mr. Schu accepted the monster sized trophy.

That day Kurt had been running on an adrenaline high and hours later when he was at a sleep over at Rachel's house, he was still grinning from ear to ear.

"And did you hear Kurt, Nationals is in Washington D.C. this year?"

"Really?" Kurt asked, excited. "You guys should all come visit the White House."

"That would be so much fun," Mercedes replied. "We are totally going to kill the competition this year."

"Which means no kissing my stepbrother on stage this year, Rachel," Kurt remarked dryly.

"I am not responsible for what happened in the heat of the moment," Rachel complained.

"Of course Rachel," Mercedes replied, rolling her eyes. "But before Nationals we have prom to think about."

"I'm going with Finn of course," Rachel said. "Who are you going with Mercedes?"

"With Sam, we just figured out we are soul mates" she said.

Rachel screamed, and Kurt's eyes widened. "Really, that's great?"

"I know," she said. "I never thought someone could make me so happy."

"I love knowing my soul mate," Rachel said happily. "We were always meant to be together."

"What about you Kurt?" Mercedes said turning to the boy. "Any guys catch your eye recently?"

"Well—sort of," Kurt started.

Immediately both girls were staring at him with rapt attention, and Kurt suddenly felt very uncomfortable.

"Who is it? What's he like?" Rachel asked.

"Well it is kind of a long story but it started when I went with my father to the Veteran's Day assembly and I saw someone with the most gorgeous hazel eyes," Kurt said.

The girls listened patiently as he told them what happened with imposter Sebastian and meeting the strange handsome boy at the mall. When his story was complete both girls looked at him in complete shock. Mercedes was the first to break the silence.

"Do you know what this means Kurt?" Mercedes asked. "You need to go to Dalton, find your Blaine."

"But then he can't help us win at Nationals," Rachel complained. "And doesn't Dalton have a well-known glee club? He would be our competition!"

"Rachel, this could be his only chance to find his soul mate and you are worried about the competition!" Mercedes said exasperated.

"No," Kurt said. "I found him twice now, we will find each other again and I don't have to go to Dalton to do it."

"But Kurt this could be your chance at true love, do you really want to risk it?" Mercedes asked.

"Dad?"

"Welcome home Kurt, congratulations on winning Regionals," Burt said pulling his son into a fierce hug.

"Thanks Dad," Kurt replied. But there is something I need to tell you."

Kurt paused for a moment, and doubts began to fill his mind again. He forced his mind to think about the sleep over and about what Mercedes had said.

"I want to go to Dalton Academy."