Kurt froze in place, unable to move an inch. After a long silence, he was finally able to mutter a single word. "What?"

"He's transferring me to LA, and I won't be flying back and forth anymore," Blaine said bitterly. He forcefully threw the letter onto the coffee table and ran his hands through his hair. "God, can't he just let me be happy for once? What is so bad about being in love?"

Kurt moved closer to Blaine and they fell into each other. "He couldn't have known about… not yet. It just happened."

"It's not about that. Apparently one of his good friends took his wife to the same restaurant we were at on Valentine's Day and he felt the need to inform my dad we were there."

"But, I mean, he doesn't know I'm the flight attendant. He doesn't know you and I met while you were technically working."

"That doesn't matter to him. What matters is that I'm happy. He'll do anything to make sure I don't leave the way my brother did. He's afraid I will no longer take my work seriously. I have no choice. I have to go. He won't give me another option." Blaine's frustration was growing with every word he muttered.

"Well, what if I go with you?" Kurt offered. He didn't want to think about a life without Blaine; one where he wouldn't be able to fall asleep in his arms and wake up beside him every morning.

"You can't. I can't ask you to do that."

"I already fly back and forth to L.A. I'll just switch some things around."

"My dad will find out. He has ways of finding everything out, and as soon as he finds out you're in L.A. with me, he'll ship me back to New York. There's no winning with him. He'll do anything to keep me away from you."

Kurt wanted to ask Blaine to quit. He wanted to tell him to leave the insurance company and move in with him. However, he knew he wouldn't be able to support both of them on his measly salary. "I don't want to live without you. I… I don't want to be away from you."

Blaine began rubbing Kurt's arm and pulled him as close as possible; it still wasn't close enough. "We'll figure something out, okay? I'm not going to leave you for good. Don't worry about that. I meant it when I said you're it for me. You're my forever."

A few tears finally made their way down Kurt and he quickly brushed them away. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"Back at ya." Blaine tried to lighten the mood.

"What… I mean, there will be other… you might…" Kurt trailed off.

"I might what?"

"What if you meet someone else? It would be easier for you to-"

"Don't," Blaine interrupted. "Don't, Kurt. I won't meet anyone else."

"You don't know th-"

"I do. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone else in this entire world. If it weren't for the fact that we've only been together for four months, I would ask you to marry me right now. I would find a way to stay in New York with you no matter what it cost me."

"Why does it matter how long we've known each other? Isn't the important thing that we love each other and want to spend the rest of our lives together?"

Blaine shifted on the couch. He knew he wanted to marry Kurt. Someday. He didn't want to make the same mistake he'd made when he was eighteen, though. He didn't want to run off and get married just because he could. Kurt deserved a real wedding, and that is what he would give him. "Kurt, you deserve a proper proposal. I want to do things right this time. I want to do something special for you and make it a moment you can remember for the rest of your life. I want you to want to tell our ki-family all about it one day. You deserve more than a cheap wedding within the next few days, and that's what it would take for my dad to agree to let me stay here."

Kurt buried his face in Blaine's chest. "But you want to ask me one day?"

"That's such a silly question."

Kurt shook his head. "No it's not. There was a time when I never imagined I'd feel this way. I was content with my life. I never thought anyone would actually want to be with me."

"Although I don't understand how you remained single for so long, I'm glad you did. I'm glad I'm the lucky one who gets to call you mine," Blaine smiled.

They sat in silence for a few minutes and just enjoyed each other's warm presence. "Hey Blaine?"

"Hm?"

"Can we forget about everything tonight? I don't want to think about you moving or when I'll get to see you again. I just want to be with you tonight."

"Of course, Love." Blaine stood up and pulled Kurt into his arms. He placed light kisses to his lips as he carried them into Blaine's bedroom where they laid down. Kurt didn't need a passionate kiss or steamy sex. All he needed in that moment was Blaine.

"You know you don't have to help me pack." Blaine began placing a stack of books into a box. He and Kurt had spent the past four days together. When Blaine wasn't working, they would relax in one of their apartments and watch movies. They visited their favorite frozen yogurt place and Kurt led Blaine around Central park one last time. They made love in every way possible. Kurt noted the way Blaine smelled, the way his skin felt, the sounds he made, and the hushed "I love you's" that came from his lips. Kurt wanted to remember everything about Blaine that he possibly could. He wanted each detail to be engraved into his memory because by that time the next day, memories of Blaine's arms around him were all he would have.

"I know, but I'm not leaving your sight today, so I may as well make myself useful." Kurt folded a few of Blaine's shirts and set them in a box.

"You know, I'm going to have to shower at some point," Blaine pointed out.

"I know," Kurt smirked in reply. "So you said someone is going to drive everything to California for you?"

"Yeah. My dad told me to take whatever was necessary for tomorrow and Saturday. He managed to get me an apartment in one of the apartment buildings we insure and he paid someone to have it furnished by the time I got there."

Kurt closed the box and taped it up. He walked to the bed and sat down on the corner. "That seems like a waste of money if you ask me."

"Not really." Blaine set the last few books inside of the box and taped it shut as well before walking towards Kurt. "I'm holding out hope that he keeps this place while I'm away. When I come back, which will be as soon as I can figure out a plan, it will be as if I never left."

"I can't just forget about it, Blaine." Blaine moved himself so he was standing in-between Kurt's legs and rested his hands on his slumped shoulders. "Things are going to be really hard."

"I know they will. I'm going to miss you just as much as you'll miss me, though." Blaine gave Kurt's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Oh, I wasn't talking about how much we will miss each other. I was talking how inactive your sex life will be for the next few months. I mean, how will you survive without me?"

Blaine pushed Kurt backwards onto the bed and crawled on top of him. "Maybe we can try out that phone sex idea." His lips found Kurt's for a brief second.

"Not the same as the real thing."Another kiss.

"But it's worth a try, right?"

Blaine leaned in for another kiss, but Kurt turned his head. "I just want you here with me." Kurt's mood went from playful to somber.

"Well, I'm here now."

"Don't you have more packing to do?"

"I'm practically done with it. Come here." Blaine scooted towards the head of the bed and pulled Kurt up with him. "We can stay up all night cuddling and talking if that would make you happy."

"Can I visit you during the week? I can fly to LA and stay with you for a few days at a time."

"As much as I would love that, you know it's not worth it. When I'm in LA, I work from eight in the morning until I get off, and after that, I have business dinners to attend and even more paperwork to do at home. I want you there, but I'd never get to see you."

"Have I mentioned I'm going to miss you?" Kurt sighed.

"Not really." Blaine pulled him in for a kiss, and this time Kurt allowed it. The kiss was full of emotion and passion and a million different feelings that Kurt wasn't able to put into words. He let his hands wander up and down Blaine's side and fisted his shirt when he felt Blaine bite down on his lip and his tongue slowly enter his mouth. There wasn't anything demanding about the kiss, though. It wasn't forced or driven by their hormones. It was saturated with the love they had for each other, and the feeling was so intense that Kurt eventually had to pull away.

"Will you sing for me?" Blaine asked, and Kurt could feel Blaine's warm breath on his forehead and his soft lips pressed a kiss to the spot.

"Right now?" Blaine nodded. "I don't know what I would sing."

"Anything. I just want to hear your voice right now. It's the most beautiful sound I've ever heard."

Kurt shook his head, but couldn't hold back the smile that tugged on his lips. "You obviously haven't heard yourself." The room was silent for a minute as Kurt thought about what he could sing. "Will you sing to me first? I… I like hearing you sing." Kurt didn't have to ask again before Blaine began singing.

If you were here beside me

Instead of in New York

If the curve of you is curved on me

I'd tell you that I love you

"Too cliché," Kurt interrupted with a giggle.

"You do better at expressing your feelings through song, then." Blaine began tickling his side and Kurt squirmed out of his grasp.

"Okay, okay. I'll sing for you." He returned to Blaine's side.

Tell me what you think about maybe settling down

I wanna know how you feel about the words coming out of my mouth

Every time I look at you, I figure it out

What I wanted, what I needed, my reason for breathing

I remember the first time that you and I met

And the look in your eye was something that I could never forget

When you're with me baby, you never need to pretend

Tell me what do you need, I wanna be the reason you breath

"Why did you stop?" Blaine whispered. He was afraid his voice would give out and the tears in his eyes would become more apparent.

"Don't leave, Blaine. Stay here," Kurt begged. "You can quit your job. You can move in with me so you don't have to pay rent and I have enough food to feed us both. You don't have to do this."

"Kurt," Blaine's voice finally cracked.

Kurt was ashamed of asking Blaine just what he told himself he wouldn't, but with Blaine's arms around him on the last night they would be together for months, Kurt couldn't help it. "You practically live at my apartment anyway. We can make room for your stuff, and if you wanted to, you could find a small job somewhere so you wouldn't be so bored. I mean, you don't have to but-"

"Kurt," Blaine said a little more forcefully.

"I'm sorry." Kurt felt mortified. "I'm being selfish and silly."

"It's not silly," Blaine whispered, "but I can't quit my job. I don't want to be cut off from my family and that's what would happen."

"A family I haven't even met," Kurt muttered. "What if I met your dad? What if I told him I wouldn't get in the way of your work? He could see that I'm not bad for you."

Blaine shook his head again. "He won't listen. He's obstinate and he'll do whatever it takes to persuade everyone that he's right."

"There has to be another option. You're choosing your family over me." There it was again. Kurt was embarrassed by what he was saying, but the pain he was feeling blocked all connection between his brain and his mouth.

"I'm not, Kurt," Blaine choked. "I'm not. But you can't ask me to choose. It's not fair to me. I would never ask you to choose between your family and me."

Kurt sighed deeply, chagrined. "I don't want to fight. It's our last night together. Can we just go to sleep?"

"Yeah. Of course." Blaine pulled the covers up around them and hummed into Kurt's ear until he drifted off to sleep.

If Kurt thought the past week and the previous night was rough, nothing could have prepared him for what the next day would be like. He didn't speak to Blaine when he got up. They showered separately, took turns in the bathroom, and ate breakfast in silence. Blaine would occasionally mention something, and Kurt would brush it off. It wasn't that he intentionally didn't want to talk with Blaine, but he couldn't think about anything but what would happen in a few hours.

Kurt looked at the clock on his nightstand and knew the time he had with Blaine was disappearing, but he still couldn't bring himself to say anything. He threw on his uniform jacket and picked his hat up off of his dresser before heading out into the living room. They packed Blaine's bags into the trunk of Kurt's car and drove to the airport. For once, the silence between them was awkward. Blaine didn't know what to do, so he reached over to grab Kurt's hand, hoping the warmth of his skin on Kurt's would calm the other man down. It didn't. Kurt didn't squeeze back, but he didn't pull away. He simply stared out at the road in front of him, his face expressionless, and continued driving.

Kurt pulled into the airport parking lot, but this time he drove past the employee parking and to the large parking lot towards the back. He wasn't going to be on the plane, but he didn't tell Blaine that. His uniform was just an excuse not to have to explain to Blaine why he had requested the day off.

Kurt pulled into a parking spot and removed his hand from Blaine's. When Blaine opened his mouth to say something, Kurt opened his door and stepped out.

"Kurt," Blaine called after him. He quickly jumped out of the car and ran to the driver's side. "Hey," he grabbed Kurt's wrist when he began to turn away, "Kurt, please."

"What?" Kurt's voice was hoarse, not the way Blaine wanted to remember it.

"You've barely said a word to me all morning. Please talk to me." He let go of Kurt's hand once he was sure he wasn't going to run away.

Kurt looked up into Blaine's eyes and noticed the hurt in them. He'd put that pain there by ignoring Blaine all morning. He'd singlehandedly wrecked the last little bit of time they would have together because he was afraid of what his life would be like without Blaine.

Kurt backed up against the car. He looked towards the ground and lifted his hands to his face, sobbing into them. Blaine didn't waste a second before throwing his arms around Kurt and letting his own tears fall.

"How are you okay with this?" Kurt blubbered.

"I'm not, Kurt. God, I'm going to miss you more than anything, but it's too soon. I can't think about it. I can't let myself imagine how things are going to be or the distance that will be between us. I just want to enjoy the last little bit of time I have with you without feeling like everything is about to change." He pulled back to look at Kurt. "Do you want to know what I'm thinking about?"

Kurt wiped a few tears from his cheek. "What?"

"I'm thinking about the skype calls we're going to make. I'm thinking about the endless amounts of phone calls we'll have. I'm thinking about all of the ways that our relationship can grow from this. If we can get through this, we can get through anything. I'm thinking about how amazing it's going to feel to be able to kiss you when I finally get to see you and how wonderful it will be to see you smiling back at me." Blaine wiped away the tears Kurt didn't get. "I promise I'll come back as soon as I can. It will only be a few months, okay? I need a few months to figure out what to do, but the second I find a way to move back to New York, I'll call you. I'll call you when I wake up in the morning. I'll call you on my lunch break. I'll call you when I get home. I'll call you when I get into bed at night. I'll call you when I see a sweater I know you'd like. I'll call you when I see something that reminds me of you. I'll call you when our favorite movies are on so we can watch them together. I'll call you every second I get the chance."

"Promise?"

"I promise," Blaine nodded. "Are you wishing you would've taken that job offer back when you had the chance? You could fly to Ohio and see your family instead of me."

"Hey, I thought we agreed not to bring that up again," Kurt smiled.

"There's that beautiful smile." Blaine cupped his face and Kurt leaned into the touch. "We should get going."

"Blaine?"

"Yeah?"

"Do I have to go into the airport with you? If I go in, I'm not going to be able to let you go."

"You have to go in, you know. You have work in a few minutes."

"I'm not going. I asked for the day off."

"It's our last flight together."

"I couldn't do it, Blaine. I wouldn't be able to step onto that plane knowing it was the last time I'd see you in that seat. It would be the last time I snuck an extra cookie to you or helped you with your luggage just to be near you. It would hurt too much."

"So, this is goodbye?" Blaine's eyes became glassy again.

Kurt enveloped Blaine in a tight hug. "I love you, Blaine. I love you so much. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me, do you know that?"

"The best thing I've ever done was fall in love with."

"This isn't goodbye. It's see you soon," Kurt smiled, almost hopefully. They shared one last kiss before Blaine grabbed his bags out of Kurt's trunk and made his way into the airport.

Kurt returned home and as he stepped out of his car, something caught his eye. He must have not paid much attention to the passenger's side on the way home, lost in the thought of what Blaine was doing in that very minute. He had imagined where he was, and by the time he got home, he knew Blaine's plane had just taken off. Kurt leaned over to get a closer look at the envelope sitting in the compartment in the door. He picked it up and found Blaine's handwriting scrawled across the front.

To the love of my life

His breath hitched and it felt like his heart stopped. It was as if he had one last piece of Blaine that he could touch, he could feel, he could see.

He shuffled up to his apartment and abandoned his hat, keys, and phone on the table and sat down on the couch. For once, he didn't notice the way it began to sink with age or the dingy look the fabric began to take on. He carelessly tore the envelope open, unfolded the piece of paper he was clutching in his hands, and began reading, willing the tears to stay away. It was too soon to cry over Blaine's absence. He didn't want to break down yet.

Just as he read his name at the top of the page—which was almost too much for him to handle; he imagined Blaine saying his name while sitting right beside him—his phone buzzed from where he'd placed it on the coffee table. He considered ignoring it, but a small part of him held out hope that maybe it was Blaine. Maybe Blaine didn't go after all. Maybe he was waiting at the airport and needed Kurt to come pick him up.

Every ounce of hope for his happiness in the near future vanished when his dad's picture showed up on the screen. He picked up his phone and held it to his ear. "Hello?"

"Kurt, good, I'm glad I got you. Listen, Finn got tickets for amazing seats to one of the basketball games coming up and I remember Blaine saying something about wanting to go sometime. I thought maybe he and I could join Finn and have a little bonding time. I'd like to get to know him a little better and-"

"Blaine's gone, dad." Kurt stared down at the envelope in his hand. The love of my life. Kurt traced the words over with his finger and waited for the silence on the other line to break.

Burt didn't know what to say. As far as he knew, they had broken up, and now he felt horrible for bringing a situation like bonding time with his son's ex-boyfriend up. What he didn't understand was why they broke up. Every time he saw them, they looked at each other with nothing less than eyes full of adoration and love. Whenever he talked to Kurt on the phone—which was never often enough—Blaine was never more than a room away.

"His dad sent him to California. Permanently," Kurt finally added. "I just dropped him off at the airport and I don't know when he's coming back."

"Oh, so you didn't break up?" Burt signed in relief.

"Of course not, but that doesn't mean this isn't hard."

"Well, would you like to take this extra ticket and join us on Monday night? It could take your mind off of things for a bit."

"Thanks, but no thanks, Dad. It's not really my thing."

"It was worth a try. You know, you could still come visit us. We miss you. Carole keeps waiting for you to come home because she has a new dinner she wants to try out and she thought you might want to help."

"I'll try to come home soon." Kurt became aware of the letter in his hands once again. "Look, Dad, it was nice talking to you, but I have a few things that I need to get done."

"Are you going to be okay, bud?"

Kurt knew his father meant well, but the last thing he wanted was sympathy from others. He wanted to be the strong, independent person he was before he met Blaine, not the weak, vulnerable person he felt like he'd become. Later on, he knew he wouldn't feel that way. He would know he was neither weak nor vulnerable. He was in love and had to deal with the pain of distance as a result.

"I will be with time." He knew that was a lie, but he hoped it would be enough to convince his dad. "Thanks for offering the ticket. I'll call you soon, okay?" Kurt picked the corners of the envelope and watched as they began to thin between his fingers.

"A-alright," Burt stuttered.

"Bye, Dad."

"Bye, Kurt."

Kurt quickly pressed "end" and threw his phone back down onto the coffee table. He focused his attention back to the letter and began reading.

Dear Kurt,

I don't know when you'll find this, but I just wanted to surprise you. I really don't have anything I plan to say, but sometimes letters are nice. If you happen to find this as soon as you get back in the car, that's fine. If you don't notice it in the door for a few weeks or a few months, that's okay, too. I just wanted to let you know how much I love you.

I know I'm not physically there with you, but I'm not gone. I'll still call you every single day and we'll talk all the time. This isn't goodbye. I'm never saying goodbye because goodbye means leaving, and I don't want you to forget about me, Kurt.

Like the front of this envelope says, you're the love of my life. I'll never want to think about what would have happened if I had never switched my flight that day in October. My life unquestionably changed for the better that day. Sometimes I take a step back and look at everything that has happened these past few months. I try to put meaning behind all of these feelings, but it isn't possible. I've only known you for four months, but in four months, you've managed to become my entire world. Some people may say that's a bad thing, but to me, it's not. It means I have someone to lean on during the tough times. It means I have someone to turn to when I need help. It means I have someone to love me unconditionally no matter what. It means I have someone to love and pour my entire heart to.

Like you said before, it doesn't matter how long we've known each other. It matters how we feel, and in this moment, I feel nothing but love and desire for you. I desire your love. I desire your affection. I desire your laugh and the way your eyes crinkle when you smile. I desire the feel of your fingertips grazing along my back. I desire your lips on mine when we make love. I desire the feel of your warm skin against mine as we lay together. I desire the beautiful sound of your voice when you think I'm asleep and sing a few lines of a song. I desire every single thing about you, Kurt, because nothing in this life will ever compare to how you make me feel.

Sorry if this is too cheesy or sappy or cliché, but it's how I feel. I want to make things easier for you. I want you to know that I'm never going anywhere. We may be separated by an entire country, but you're here in my heart and I only hope I remain in yours. I can't wait until I can see you again. Just give it some time, okay? I love you, Kurt. I love you, I love you, I love you.

Blaine

Kurt began to cry halfway through the letter, but it wasn't a poignant cry. This time, they were cheerful tears. Everything Blaine said sent shivers through his body and straight into his heart. He had never felt more grateful for meeting someone in his life. In a way, he felt like Blaine had saved him. He brought him out of the slump he had convinced himself didn't exist. Blaine had taught him what it was like to love someone and be loved in return. Blaine was right. This wasn't goodbye, but simply the start of their future. It was the start of the long nights they would have without each other when Blaine had to work late. It was the beginning of the years they would spend together; they just had to get past the distance to fully appreciate each other's presence.

Kurt picked up his phone again and dialed Blaine's number. "Hey," he said when it automatically went to voicemail, "I know you're still on the plane and won't get this for a couple of hours, but I wanted to call you anyway. I found your letter. It wasn't a very sneaky hiding place, I must say, but thank you. Thank you for everything Blaine. Not just this letter, but thank you for you. We can do this. I know we can. Your dad will see that even distance won't be able to tear us apart. Anyway, call me as soon as you land, okay? I love you so much."

He pressed end and slipped his phone into his pocket. After reading Blaine's letter, his life didn't seem so void of his boyfriend after all. In fact, he seemed strangely revived.

Kurt walked into the kitchen and placed the letter on the refrigerator with a magnet—somewhere he would see it every morning and every night when he came home from work. Maybe, just maybe, these next few months wouldn't be as bad as he had originally imagined.

Three weeks after his move to L.A., Blaine found himself beyond stressed and excessively worn out. He returned home after a particularly exhausting day at the office (there had been one too many unhappy customers), and he felt like the thing he needed that night was the one thing he couldn't have. He needed Kurt's arms around his, kneading their way into Blaine's shoulders and releasing some of the tension. He needed Kurt's relaxing kisses and just the presence of the other man. Blaine simply needed Kurt.

When he walked up to his apartment, he found a bouquet of yellow forget-me-nots on the ground in front of his door. He picked them up, searching for a card, but didn't find one. He took them inside and sat them on his kitchen counter as he called Kurt.

"Hello?" Kurt picked up after the first ring and sounded much more cheerful than usual.

"Hi. I, uh… did you…" Blaine didn't know what to say. He was afraid that the flowers were from someone else, and that would lead to a conversation with Kurt he didn't want to get into. Blaine didn't want the other man to feel threatened when there was nothing to be threatened by.

"Did you receive something today?" Kurt prodded.

Blaine sighed, "A lovely display of flowers was waiting for me when I got home. I thought you might have an idea of where they came from?"

"Hmmm, nope. It's a mystery to me," Kurt joked.

"Thank you, Kurt."

"I wanted to do something to show you how much I missed you. They're forget-me-nots because I don't want you to forget me. These flowers are just a reminder of me."

"Do you really think I would forget you? I mean, I call you at least three times a day and Skype you every night."

"Just making sure." Blaine could almost hear Kurt smiling over the phone and it eased a little bit of the pain the distance caused to know that he wasn't completely miserable. "Do you want to know why they're yellow?"

"Is it because they remind you of how amazing I look in yellow?"

"Not quite, sweetie. I mean, you do look wonderful in yellow, but 'Blaine' means 'yellow,' and yellow reminds me of sunshine. You are my own personal ray of sun."

"And you claim I'm the sappy one."

"You must be rubbing off on me."

"Well, thank you again for the flowers. They are exactly what I needed today. I needed you, but this is the next best thing."

"What's wrong?" Kurt suddenly switched gears and sympathy started to fill his voice.

"It was just a rather strenuous day at work."

"Would you like to talk about it?"

"Well, you see…" Blaine continued talking to Kurt for over an hour, something that was typical of them. Once he finally got off of the phone, he sat down at on the couch and held the vase of flowers in his hands, gently running his fingers along the petals. No, Blaine thought, long distance wasn't quite so bad after all.

"Rachel!" Kurt launched himself into his best friend's arms, complete with a bone-crushing hug. He hadn't even given her time to step inside after opening his front door before she was giggling with her arms wrapped equally as tight around him.

She pulled back and studied him. "You're certainly chipper today." She finally made her way inside and set her suitcase near the couch. Upon Kurt's request, Finn had agreed to watch over Elizabeth for a few days not only to give Rachel some relaxing time away from changing diapers and preparing bottles, but also so that Kurt could spend some time with the sister-in-law whom he missed entirely too much.

"Blaine went into work a little later this morning, so he Skyped me when he woke up," Kurt blushed and twirled a bit.

"You are so in love." She pulled him to the couch and they sat down. "So, I have a question. You know this fabulous city much better than I do which is something I never thought I'd hear myself say. Although being a wife to Finn and a mother to Elizabeth is something I never would have pictured myself being, but it's been incredible and-"

"Rachel," Kurt cut her off, laughing. He missed her semi-incoherent rambling," what is your point?"

"Oh, right. Well, I thought I could whip us up some dinner tonight and you could go to a local bakery to get some bread. I've come to perfect some recipes, and although they're vegan, Finn has actually taken quite well to them. I think you'll appreciate them to, and maybe you can make them for Blaine sometime. I don't know how-" Rachel's words were muffled when Kurt leaned forward and hugged her again. "What was that for?"

"I've just missed you," he smiled. "It's nice to see a familiar face in New York again."

Rachel sensed Kurt's mood start to sadden, so she change the subject. "Come on. You have to take me to all of your favorite places in New York. A lot has changed just in the past few years."

He knew arguing with her was pointless, so instead, he grabbed onto her hand and followed her out the door.

It was Kurt's birthday. He wasn't excited. He was another year older. He was twenty-seven. He didn't have anyone to celebrate with. April 7th was going to go down as the worst day he had spent apart from Blaine, or so he thought when he woke up. Little did he know what was to come throughout the day.

It started at 9:00 AM when he got the first text: Hey, Birthday Boy. Happy Birthday. I wanted to call you when I woke up, but I was afraid you'd still be sleeping, so I'll save that for tonight.

Another text at 9:02 AM: Check on the top shelf of your closet. Behind the box that contains your high school memorabilia. Don't lie to me. I know what's in that box :p

Kurt rolled off of his bed and shuffled towards his closet, doing as Blaine had said. He stood on the tip of his toes and pushed the box aside, noticing a small, blue box. Confused, he pulled it off the shelf and held it in his hands. On the top, in Blaine's handwriting, were the numbers "1," "2," and "3," each followed by a phrase.

1. I love the way you subconsciously wrap your arms around me in your sleep.

2. I love it when you brush the hair away from my face when I wake up.

3. I love when we're in the bathroom together each morning getting ready for work, even if we're not saying anything.

Kurt carefully removed the paper from around the box, making sure not to tear more than the edges, and pressed it flat. He walked to his nightstand, pulled a pair of scissors out of the drawer, and cut a square around Blaine's writing. When he was done, he went into the kitchen and placed it on the refrigerator next to Blaine's letter, which he hadn't moved since the day Blaine left over a month ago.

Content with what he had done, he opened the box to find a pin. Kurt knew it had to have been custom made as soon as he laid eyes on it. A small plane flew in front of a red heart and upon further examination, Kurt noticed the initials "KH & BA" etched into the metal of the plane. He unfolded the piece of paper that had fallen out of the box and began reading it.

When we were shopping a few months ago, I noticed you looking at every pin we passed, but you never ended up getting one. Well, I hope this is exactly what you've been looking for. It's a piece of us. Where we met and what you'll always have. My heart. Happy Birthday, Kurt. This is only the beginning.

Kurt rushed back into his bedroom and sent Blaine a quick text.

Thank you for the pin. It's beautiful, and I can't wait to wear it. I love you.

When Blaine texted him back not even a minute later, Kurt knew he had to be waiting by his phone, causing Kurt to laugh.

I'm glad you like it. There's more to come. I'll tell you where you're next present is located at 10:00.

There's more?

Of course. You didn't think a pin was all you were getting, did you? I'm going to spoil you rotten today. You can thank Rachel for helping me strategically place the presents around your apartment last week. We obviously picked great hiding spots. Places you don't look very often.

And the things written on the package?

Those are things I can't wait to have again once I'm with you.

And when will that be?

Soon, Kurt. Just hold on a little bit longer.

Kurt set his phone back down, deciding a shower sounded nice. By the time he finished up with his morning routine, he heard his phone beep again. It was 10:00.

Check under your bed. You should find something in the corner by the wall and your nightstand.

Kurt got down on his hands and knees and peeked underneath the bed skirt. Sure enough, he found another box wrapped in bright blue paper

4. I love how you always ask me to bake with you even though I end up burning the cookies or forgetting ingredients.

5. I love how we have plans even when we don't make them.

6. I love how you have a secret playlist on your iPod of songs that remind you of me. (Yes, I've seen it, and it's adorable.)

11:00 AM

7. I love how you have an extra toothbrush at my house.

8. I love it when we have lazy days where we lounge around in our pajamas and eat ice cream out of the tub.

9. I love how you don't judge me when I get extra excited and dance along to certain songs.

12:00 PM

10. I love our walks through the park. Your view on life is inspiring and infectious.

11. I love how we have our own special place: our frozen yogurt shop.

12. I love it when you reach out and grab my hand as we're walking down the street, even if people are staring or giving us disgusting looks.

1:00 PM

13. I love when you wear my clothes.

14. I love when you wrap your arm around my waste and our hands join together inside of my coat pocket.

15. I love how you came along when I least expected it.

2:00 PM

16. I love the way you freak out when I see you shirtless, even though we've had sex multiple times.

17. I love how adorable you look in your uniform.

18. I secretly love it when you mess up my hair.

3:00PM

19. I love when you pick out the clothes I buy, though I'd never admit that to you in person.

20. I love it when you let me give you a massage.

21. I love when we take a shower, not because it sometimes leads to sex, but because that's a time that no one else gets to see you and you're gorgeous, Kurt.

4:00 PM

22. I love how you wanted to keep the Christmas lights up after Christmas because "everyone needs a little more light in their life."

23. I love when you whisper in my ear.

24. I love when you wake up earlier than me and have coffee for me when I wake up.

At 5:03, Kurt didn't get a text from Blaine, but a call.

"Hello?" Kurt answered, realizing Blaine must have just gotten off of work.

"Hello, love. Happy birthday," Blaine sang.

"Thank you," Kurt smiled and blushed a bit.

"So, you have one last present."

"Oh really?" Kurt asked, intrigued.

"Yup. Look under the middle couch cushion."

Kurt began making his way from his bedroom into the living room. "Really, Blaine, how did you come up with so many places you knew I wouldn't look?"

"You forget how much time I've spent there. I know where you look on a daily basis and where you don't. I'll have to remember to thank Rachel again next time I see her."

"That must be why she wanted me out of the house the night she made dinner. She claimed she wanted special, fresh bread from a bakery."

"I know. I suggested that. I knew you really loved the bakery a few blocks away, so you'd be more than willing to go."

"You're evil."

"Is that so? Have you found your last present yet?"

"I'm working on it." Kurt lifted the cushion and found a thin object wrapped in the bright blue paper.

I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I love you, I LOVE YOU, KURT

Kurt began to giggle. "I love you, too, Blaine."

"You found it!" Blaine said with a little too much excitement. "Open it!"

"I swear. You are the most adorable man I have ever met."

"I don't hear any ripping of paper." Kurt imagined Blaine tapping his foot impatiently in his office, his car, his apartment, wherever he was in that moment.

"I'm opening it carefully so I can save what you've written on the front."

"Really?" Kurt heard a car door and assumed Blaine had just sat down to leave.

"Yes," Kurt replaced the cushion on the couch and sat down. "I've kept all of them so far. They mean more to me than you probably realize." He removed the paper from the last present, but froze when he saw what was inside. "Um, B-Blaine."

"Yes?" Blaine said with even more excitement than before.

"This, what is it?" Kurt's breath hitched as he stared down at the slip of paper in his hands.

"It's a copy of a plane ticket, silly. I figured you of all people would know what it was." Blaine turned the key in his ignition and shifted his car in gear.

"But, what's it for?"

"It's for my plane ticket to New York. I'll be there a week from Tuesday. I know you'll be in Ohio until Tuesday morning, but I wanted to be there as soon as you returned so we'd have all week together."

"You… you're coming here?" Kurt couldn't hold back the squeal that escaped his mouth.

"That's the plan. I figured I could ride back to L.A. on Sunday during your flight."

"But, I get to see you again? In person? I get to hold you in my arms and kiss you and hug you and see you?" Kurt squealed into Blaine's ear.

"It's about time, isn't it?" Blaine's voice didn't leave any doubt as to whether or not he was just as happy about his present to Kurt.

"Blaine! This is the best present you could have ever given me. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"I'm glad you like it. I was going to find you something expensive like another outfit from that line that came out around Christmas, but then I thought about this idea. I told my dad I wanted to visit a few friends in New York for a week, and he agreed. I didn't clarify that it was you I was going to go see, because he assumed I meant Stacy, Jonah, and Luke."

"So, you lied," Kurt accused, not that he was upset with Blaine for doing so. Especially not when it meant Blaine would be with him in less than two weeks.

"No, I conveniently left some information out."

"I miss you. Phone calls and skype dates aren't up to par with having you here."

"Soon, baby. I'll be there before you know it." Kurt heard a few cars honking and the sound of numerous other automobiles in the background. "I'd love to stay on the phone with you, especially since it's your birthday, but traffic is kind of congested right now. Can I call you when I get home? I promise to stay on the phone with you all night."

"Of course you can. Drive safely! I love you."

"I will. I love you, too. Goodbye, darling."

Kurt laughed at the new name; one Blaine hadn't used with him before. "Goodbye, Blaine." He pushed end, but kept his phone clutched in his right hand; the plane ticket was in the other. Kurt looked down at the ticket, wondering if it were possible for him to fall asleep and wake up a week and a half later in Blaine's arms.

It was the Monday before Kurt would be reunited with Blaine, and he was ecstatic. He'd eaten breakfast with Burt and Carole—more like scarfing down a few bites of pancakes while he eagerly talked about what he and Blaine would do during their week together—and neither one of them were able to do anything to calm their son down.

"How about I make dinner tonight?" He suggested, bringing his hands to his face in a pleading gesture. "It will be the last meal before I go back, and who knows when I'll get time off from work again."

"Kurt," Carole placed a hand on his arm," you don't have to do that. It's your last night here. Why don't you go hang out with Rachel or one of your other friends?"

Kurt frowned. "I want to make the two of you dinner, though. With Blaine gone, it's pointless to make anything for myself. I end up with too many left overs than I can deal with."

"Carole, maybe we should let him." Burt nodded towards Kurt and gave him a reassuring smile.

"Dad, I'm not going to make anything less than healthy for you. Where do you think Carole found all of her low-cholesterol recipes?" He turned his attention back to his step-mom and ignored the grumbling coming from Burt.

"If you honestly want to make dinner that would be fine with us. It'll give me a chance to clean up the house a bit."

"Great!" Kurt's pitch was an entire octave higher. "I'm going to run to the store to pick up a few things I need. Keys are on the table, dad?"

Burt nodded. "You know, I wouldn't mind if you decided to make those peanut butter cookies you used to bake," he called after Kurt.

Kurt stuck his head back in the doorway. "Nice try, dad." His head disappeared again and the front door clicked shut. Burt stared at the empty place at the table where his son had been all morning, trying to remember a time when he'd looked so happy.

Kurt returned from the store an hour later with more bags than he could carry at once. He slipped into the kitchen, announcing his arrival in a sing-song voice, but froze in his tracks the second he stepped onto the wood floor. The atmosphere of the room felt different from when he left. He noticed Rachel sitting at the table with her face buried in her hands. Burt was in the same spot he'd been an hour ago, but his posture was much worse. Carole's smile no longer lit up her face; instead, it was replaced with red, puffy eyes as if she'd been crying.

Kurt quietly, but quickly, moved to the counter to set his brown paper sacks down and waited for someone to speak up. When no one did, he took the initiative himself. "Is everything okay? You guys look like you've seen a ghost."

"Kurt, why don't you sit down." Burt pulled out a chair and waited for Kurt to take his place. When he didn't, he spoke up again. "Kiddo, we have something we need to talk to you about."

"What's wrong? Something's wrong? What happened?" Kurt was starting to panic. He mentally went through the list of possibilities. His dad hadn't mentioned going to the doctor in a while, so he couldn't have found out any kind of bad news regarding his heart. Carole was healthy last time he checked. He recalled all of his relatives, trying to figure out which grandparent would be most likely to pass away.

"Sweetie, just sit and we'll explain everything to you, okay?" Carole patted the seat in between her and Burt and waited for Kurt to take his place. Once he sat down, she reached over to grab his hand.

Kurt knew something was wrong, and he knew that the anticipation was going to make the news even more difficult to accept. "Will you please just tell me what's wrong? Was it grandma or grandpa?"

"It's Blaine," Burt blurted out before he could stop himself. He reached over to grab Kurt's other hand and didn't miss the flash of panic that crossed over Kurt's face. "Rachel came over here to tell us about a plane crash she saw on the news about forty minutes ago. The flight from L.A. to Ohio went down this morning in Colorado. They don't know the cause, but as of right now, they haven't found a single survivor."

Kurt began to frantically shake his head, and he actually laughed. "No, Dad, you have it all wrong. Blaine is okay. He wasn't on that flight. He's taking the one to New York tomorrow morning, remember?" He gave the three people staring back at him a reassuring smile.

"Kurt," Rachel spoke up for the first time and Kurt noticed there wasn't much to her voice, as if she'd cried so much it had disappeared, "Blaine wanted to surprise you. We set up a little plan. I was supposed to ask Carole and Burt to babysit tonight so Finn and I could go out. You would have the house to yourself and he was going to surprise you." She choked back a sob, but somehow managed to continue. "I'm so sorry, Kurt. If I hadn't suggested it, he would still be in L.A. right now. He wouldn't be dead in the middle of Colorado because of a plane crash."

Burt and Carole both looked to Kurt, but Rachel kept her head down. They didn't see any kind of emotion showing across Kurt's face. Not hurt. Not anger. Not sadness. Nothing.

"Kurt, we're-"

"No!" Kurt instantly shouted, breaking through the soft whispers in the room. "No. He's not dead! He's in L.A. I don't care what you say. He wouldn't lie to me."

"Kurt, he didn't lie to you. It was going to be a surprise."

"No!" Kurt shouted again. He couldn't listen to anything his family was saying any more. Without another word, he pushed his chair back and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him. He collapsed onto his bed and sobbed into his pillow, willing the nightmare that was his life to end.