Blaine-Jake had been right. The next cab hadn't arrived until ten minutes later and until then it hadn't stopped raining. He takes a look at his watch and considers calling Mercedes at this time. But it's almost half past one in the morning and it's even later in Chicago and now that he's sure that Blaine-Jake's not only a mirage, or another piece of his imagination, calling Mercedes can wait until tomorrow. Or later, since it is technically tomorrow.

So he grabs his pajamas and heads for the bathroom. And although he survived rain that was a lot colder than this one it can't hurt to take a hot shower. And he always found that thinking was easier when he was showering.

The shower has a nice size and as he turns on the water – he's got the hang of it now – the water has got the perfect temperature. Kurt stands directly under the hot stream and while his hair gets soaked with the hot water he starts thinking about the whole Blaine-Jake story.

By now he's sure that it actually is Blaine. Although he's got a different name and looks a bit different. But what has happened that they are where they are, he wonders as he squeezes a bit shampoo into his hand. After the second round of shampooing and the mandatory conditioner treatment he turns off the water, opens the door to grab a towel and comes to a decision: During the weeks he will be here in Los Angeles he wants to find out what happened to Blaine. And tomorrow, first thing in the morning he's going to call Mercedes and ask for her opinion about this whole mess. Once he finished drying his hair he plops down on his bed. It's two o'clock in the morning by now and Matt still hasn't returned home. Deep down inside him, he realizes as he snuggles even deeper into the cushions, he feels a bit better thinking about Blaine. At least for the first time since he left.

"Hey Kurt!" Mercedes picks up after the second ring.

"Hey babe!" Kurt's extremely relieved to hear her voice. Sure, he could talk with Matt about it when he returns from work that night. Or with Leah. Or Pip. But those three got to know him after Blaine had left. And Mercedes knows them both.

"How do you like the City of Angels?"

"It's nice, I think."

"You think?"

"Yeah … It ..." He hesitates, because he doesn't know how to start.

"What's up, boo?"

That's why he likes Mercedes. Even though there are hundreds of miles between them, she can tell that there's something wrong with him.

"I … I've seen Blaine."

"You did what?"

He takes a deep breath and suddenly it all comes bubbling out of him. "Matt and I have been at this restaurant you recommended and we had a table next to the piano. And suddenly Blaine turns up, sits down at the piano and starts playing. I've seen him again yesterday, at a taxi stand and he gave me his umbrella."

Mercedes is silent for a short moment.

"And he didn't recognize you? I mean, you haven't changed that much in the last year and a half."

"That's the problem. He doesn't recognize me anymore. Something had to have happened, because they're calling him Jake instead of Blaine."

"Jake, huh?" Mercedes sounds as if she doesn't believe him. "And you're sure that -"

"Yeah, I am sure." Kurt gets impatient. "I want to know what happened, Mercedes. Why he didn't call out of a sudden. Why he stayed here, in Los Angeles. And why his name is Jake." At the end of his little monolog his voice is barely audible.

"So... You still have his umbrella, right?"

"Yes, he said I should bring it back to the restaurant."

"Okay, that's something we can work with, boo."

"What do you mean?"

He could hear in her voice that she was grinning.

"A friend of mine, Kate, is still working there. I'll be sending her your cell phone number asap and then you can ask her on which evenings Blaine … or Jake … or whatever his name is right now … works there. Then you can give him his umbrella back personally and ask him if you two could go out for a drink. Tell him -" She thinks for a moment. "Tell him, he reminds you of an old friend from school. That's not even a lie."

Kurt chuckles silently. "Oh Mercedes. What would I do without you?"

"Keep on breathing, babe, keep on breathing." But he can hear her chuckling, too. "But I have to say bye now. I'm sending you Kate's number in a text and write her as well, that you get in touch with her. She really is okay."

"Thanks, babe."

"For you, Kurt, always."

Getting the next day off isn't as easy as Kurt had imagined. He negotiates with Matt that he will get Kurt's next day off and as he puts a self-cooked meal on top, he is successful. The only flaw in that plan is finding a kitchen that will meet his requirements. It isn't until talking to their manager that he is actually afraid of his plan failing.

"Kurt, we did count on you tonight. Matt's dress is already at the dry cleaner's!"

"Come on, Marc. You know I usually don't do that. I stood on stage performing with a hundred degrees fever and a sore throat, just because this critic was sitting somewhere in the audience."

"And it was worth it!" Marc throws in.

"I never said it wasn't." Kurt crosses his legs. This chair is everything but comfortable and he feels as if he was sitting back in principal Figgins office. "But I simply need the evening off tomorrow. Please believe me I wouldn't ask if it wasn't necessary."

Marc scratches his head and Kurt sees that his hair is already streaked with gray.

"You already talked to Matt?"

Kurt just knows that he has won.

"Yeah, he'll swap for my next free day and a home-cooked meal."

Marc inhales deeply. "Alright, alright. You won, Kurt. I only hope for you, that it's worth it."

Kurt stands up and pushes the chair back. "Thanks, Marc."

Leaving the improvised office he hopes that it is wort it, too. Because he can't fathom how Blaine-Jake will react.

The next evening finds him standing in front of the Adagio's backdoor with a bright yellow umbrella in his hand.

Before he writes a text to Kate he looks down at him self-consciously. Charcoal cloth pants from Chanel, black Manolo Blahnik's and a simple, white polo shirt by Ralph Lauren. Timeless, elegant but not too much if you don't care for designer labels. He hopes that it's just right for this … date. Even though he doesn't know if it actually is a date, or just simply seeing each other. He takes one last breath before sending the text.

Waiting at the backdoor. Thanks again for everything! - Kurt

Only a few minutes after he sent the text, the door opens.

"Kurt?" The young woman who steps out into the night takes him a bit by surprise. He expected her to be more like Mercedes. But instead she wears elegant clothes: A black skirt that ends just above her knees, black ballet flats with decorative, silver clasps and a white blouse with a few ruffles at the front. Her auburn curls were in a loose up-do. Then Kurt remembers that her clothes probably are part of a dress code for work, but that doesn't mean he doesn't like it.

"Yep."

"Mercedes has told me so much about you." And instead of taking his proffered hand she hugs him. Well, that would explain why she and Mercedes got along so well with each other. "So you've got the feeling that you know Jake from high school? Or how am I to understand your text?"

Kurt starts to spin the umbrella in his hand, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Well, not really. He reminds me of someone I went to high school with. And anyways," he lifts the umbrella, "he gave me this last night. And … I wanted to give it back to him."

"Ah," she smiles at him. "Well, then please come into our sacred halls." She laughs softly when she says that and holds the door open for him. "It's still relatively empty, but Jake's already there, because our chef Carlos has a soft spot for him and always prepares a small meal before he has to go on stage."

Kurt walks through a small hallway that would probably be broader if it weren't for all the boxes lining the walls, that are probably for the suppliers.

The hallway splits into a right and a left way and Kurt follows Kate to the right one.

"He's probably in our staff room."

As she opens the door Kurt can see that she guessed right. In the middle of a room, at a table sits Blaine-Jake and a table with ravioli in tomato sauce in front of him.

"Hey, Jake, look who was standing outside, looking like a lost puppy. He said he was looking for you." She gives Kurt a small nudge.

Blaine-Jake looks up. "Oh, hi. I didn't expect you so soon." He smiles.

"Well, it is your umbrella after all, isn't it?" Kurt lifts said object a bit so Blaine-Jake can see it.

"Oh, yeah, right. Thanks." He takes a forkful of ravioli and motions Kurt to sit down. "But you didn't come only because of that, are you?" he asks when he finishes.

Kurt beats a bit round the bush. "Well … no."

Blaine-Jake grins. "You wanna here me play, right?"

Kurt grins back at him. "Although I remember you playing wonderfully, I have to disappoint you."

Blaine-Jake looks at him a bit surprised. "What is it then?"

"You … you remind me of someone."

"Huh? That's something you have to tell me about."

"It's … complicated."

"Oh, I don't mind complicated, but -"

In exactly that moment the door opens and as Kurt turns around he sees that Kate has vanished, but their waiter from a few days ago, Patrick, enters.

"Oops, sorry. Didn't want to interrupt."

"You didn't, Pat."

"That's great, babe, cause you gotta get ready. Because they wanna see your nice ass up on stage."

Blaine-Jake sighs and looks down on his plate with ravioli. "Oh well, what am I expecting? When the food is for free, of course I can't enjoy it." He shoves the plate over to Kurt. "Here, you can have it if you want to. Because they are sure to be cold until I'm finished and Carlos food is too good to throw it away."

"Oh, thanks."

Blaine-Jake pushes his chair back and gets up. When he's halfway to the door he turns around. "What's with your story anyways?"

Kurt looks up. "Well, I can't tell it to you now, can I?"

"That's true." Blaine looks at his watch. "Well, if you like, you can stay." He points to a bookshelf. "We have a few books here, in case you get bored. I'm done here at midnight and you could tell me then."

Kurt nods.

Blaine smiles. "I'm really looking forward to it." Before he leaves he kisses Patrick. And although Kurt always thought he was over their separation, it feels strange to see him kissing another guy.

Patrick stays and watches his boyfriend leave while Blaine obviously leaves for the restaurant to entertain the guests with some classical music. Then he turns to Kurt.

"You've been here a while ago as a patron, right?"

"With my boyfriend," states Kurt.

"Yeah," he grins, "a tall, handsome guy..."

That's when Kurt recalls how Patrick flirted with Matt the whole evening and he gets a bit angry because he's got Blaine... no, Jake and if he flirts with other guys he doesn't deserve Bl- Jake.

"Yes," he answers shortly and hopes he doesn't sound too angry. Because he isn't allowed to and anyway, this situation is so frustrating that he would like to scream.

"Tell him I said hi." Patrick still stands next to the door and somehow looks ridiculously handsome and for a short moment Kurt knows why Blaine fell in love with him. But then again, he doesn't really get it, because Blaine could have every other guy. Actually, every other guy would be better than this arrogant, egoistic -

"Well," Patrick reaches for the door knob, "I have to go back to work. I'll see you later or something like that." He grins at Kurt one last time, winks at him and leaves.

Kurt turns around and closes his eyes. He wonders what he's doing in that place. Blaine has a new life and seems happy, even if his boyfriend seems like a complete idiot who doesn't know what he has in Blaine. When he opens his eyes again he looks down on the plate with ravioli that Blaine gave him. And that reminds him of what he's doing here. Why he lied to his boyfriend. Why he traded his only day off next week to be here. He wants to... No, he needs an explanation why Blaine left over a year ago. Why he simply walked out of his life without ever calling him again.