“Are you sure you want to do this?”

Kurt glanced out the car window and nodded that way, even though the gesture was for Blaine who was sitting beside him.  Behind them both, K.J. was babbling in his carseat - a blend of “Papa” and “Dada” and “Ball” - seeing as how he had a new plush ball that played music when it was pressed in different places.

Beside K.J. on each side, squished in the limited space of the car was Burt and Carole, who were already unbuckling themselves and also getting K.J. out of his seat, smiling ear to ear when K.J. looked upon her and said “Ga-muh!”

Kurt took in a breath, unbuckled his own seatbelt, and then stepped out of the car.  His old street.  Blaine's apartment building.  He resisted the urge to just run into the safety of the building and instead looked at the spot where, for what seemed like a lifetime when he was in that place, he had stood and sold himself.

He wasn't sure if he was supposed to feel relief or anxiety, but what he did feel came as a bit of a shock.

Nothing.

It was just concrete.  Concrete set against the brick of the building.

“Well?”

Kurt looked back at Blaine and shrugged, “I don't know why I worried.”

Burt looked it over, stepping around the sidewalk, “You know… I pictured something…. seedier.”

“I liked this neighbourhood.  The architecture is well done.”

They shared a chuckle, K.J. laughing because they all were laughing and doing so in an over exaggerated manner.  Then the walk began.

“This is where… uh… I ran into Big G.”  Kurt said, looking around the small park, specifically towards the dark alleyway off to the side.

Blaine snapped some photos, like he had back at the curb Kurt had worked and Blaine had lived at, now where Rachel and Wes lived together - all his own and Blaine's things, instruments included, shipped and residing in Lima.

Next was a trip in the subway, something new to his dad, Carole, and K.J. - who definitely liked the ride.

“‘gain!  ‘gain!”  He yelled, bouncing in Blaine's arms and reaching back towards the departing train as they got off and walked to the stairs.

Blaine chuckled and patted K.J. on the back, “Later Cage.  First we have to finish some work for Daddy's book.”

As Blaine's self-published album, now with twelve tracks in total, took off, he was interviewed and on every show imaginable.  Kurt had everything he was on dutifully taped and backed up for his own collection.  As expected, Blaine was asked the tough questions about Kurt, and he responded honestly, always saying that Kurt knew and expected him to answer like that.

So it didn't take long before Kurt started getting approached too - though not for music, but for a book deal.

Eventually, Kurt decided to do it, if only to ensure they had money coming in and he was finally contributing back to the family.  Part of what he wanted to do included revisiting the places he had existed in during his time in New York, which was why Blaine was taking photos.  They were vital to the book.  Kurt wanted to focus less on describing places and more on what happened there.

He discovered that more than being a means to earning some money though, it was therapeutic.  Everything he had felt, thought, or experienced was now out on paper (well, metaphorically speaking since he wrote on his laptop) and out of his head.  He didn't hold back in his writing, and knew that if his dad ever wanted to read the book for himself, it would be difficult - because everything was there from his initial break into drugs right up until he set foot back on his dad's doorstep.  He had decided to end the story there because he didn't want to draw K.J. into it, though he was mentioned in the foreword and dedication.  If K.J. wanted to write about himself one day, Kurt wasn't going to step on his toes.

Besides, writing about K.J. meant writing about Quinn, and he had already changed her name in the book to try and protect her from being exposed too much, even though it wouldn't be hard to link up who he was talking about given how the media knew she was his friend and companion when he went to New York.

Quinn had, to put it nicely, decided that she wasn't going to be involved with either of her children.  She wanted to reinvent herself after jail, and despite having fought to get custody of Beth before, and being happy to visit K.J. when Kurt brought him to the prison, when she was released, she told Kurt flat out that the only way she was going to stay good, was by staying away from anything and everything from her past.  The last Kurt heard, she had applied to and been accepted into college and was pursuing her own dreams - whatever they were.

It was definitely a kick in the pants to Kurt though, who had been so ready to help her when she got out and wanted to make sure, not only for her benefit but for K.J.'s, that she knew she'd be a part of his life.  He was mad at her, even more now than he already had been, for abandoning her son and Kurt.

But, as his dad and Blaine kept telling him, maybe it was for the best - besides, she was the one losing out on not having a relationship with K.J.

They walked up to the old house he had lived at, now with new tenants who looked just as sketchy but were getting a cheque so that Kurt and his entourage could go through the house, letting him show his family where he had lived and letting Blaine take the photos.

This place was more unsettling.

When he looked into the living room, he saw flashes of memory, none of them good and wrapped his arms around himself with a shudder.  

Burt wrapped an arm around his shoulders, “You don't have to do this kid…”

Kurt shook his head, “No.  I do.  I'm going to face this and get it over with so I can say that I did.”

He pushed his uneasiness down slat in his stomach and talked about what happened in each room.  The living room is where deals and parties happened.  The kitchen was often used not only for food, but as a place for a quick sex deal, the upstairs rooms were much the same, but for the girls and not him.  The bathroom, well, even more went on in there then in the kitchen.  The last thing he showed them was the basement.

“You slept here…?” His dad asked, looking around the space from the stairs since there wasn't enough space on the floor for them all to stand.

Kurt nodded, looking down at the dirt with a sigh.  “Quinn and I.”  

Blaine frowned, “If I had known Kurt… I would have never let you come back here….”

Kurt shook his head, “You didn't though, and at that point, I wouldn't have let you hold me back.”

“It's freezing…” Carole noted, face creased with sadness as she gave the little area a once over with her eyes, “.... I'll take K.J. back up…”

Blaine snapped a few photos, having to be creative on where and how he stood in order to get the space in a picture properly with the lack of room to maneuver and the poor lighting.  After Burt went up after Carole, Blaine put the camera away and went to pull Kurt into a hug, “You're brave…”

Kurt chuckled, leaning in against the warm body and shivering.  It was cold down here.  How had he never noticed that?  “Don't get mushy on me.  We need to get this done.”

They left the little home, if it could even be called that, and Kurt looked it over one last time.  He'd never come back here again, he knew that, and as he recalled how many times he had willingly set foot in the place, there was only one proper way to say goodbye to it.

He spat at it.

No one questioned him on it, no judgement was given.  They shuffled the seating arrangements in the car so that Kurt could sit beside his son and read to him on the way to a restaurant where they were meeting Blaine's family and Wes.

Well, Wes was basically family anyhow.

A room had been reserved for the group and hugs and kisses and loud hello's were exchanged and the other grandparents cooed and doted over K.J. who was sure to show off his new ball to them all and fought over being put in a high chair.

“Poor guy has had to sit so much today he just wants to run and play.”  Blaine noted to his family who all nodded knowingly.  

“No talking business.”  Kurt said directly to Wes whose mouth clamped shut the instant it had opened and Kurt had seen it.  Wes had a bad habit of always engaging Blaine in discussions over promotion or new ideas to earn cash off Blaine and it was exhausting.  As Blaine's publicist, Kurt generally had no problem talking up Blaine, but when it was family, he just wanted to forget that both he and Blaine were public figures and just enjoy the company.

So, as expected, Rachel talked about her current role and success, Blaine's parents asked all about K.J. and both insisted that they come visit so that K.J. could get to know them better, Kurt proudly told them about K.J.'s latest milestones - walking and forming sentences included, and Blaine just bumped his foot purposely against Kurt's the whole time.

“So what are you going to do about his last name?” Blaine's dad asked with very transparent self-interest, talking about K.J.

Kurt pushed his face into a smile, even though he wanted to smirk, “It'll stay Hummel once the adoption is processed.”

“Even after the marriage?”

Kurt nodded stiffly, “Yes.”

“And before you ask, yes, I am okay with it.” Blaine said, “In fact, I insisted on it.”

Blaine's dad lifted his hands up in surrender and the topic was changed, Kurt smiling sidelong to Blaine.  His name meant a lot to him now that he had it back, and K.J. had already had two last names in his short life that he didn't need a hyphenated name added to the list.

Dinner was finished and everyone got into their vehicles and to the next destination.

The courthouse.

The wedding was small, civil, and low key.  No reporters were there because, aside from the people in the room with them, no one else knew about it.  It was exactly what Kurt wanted.  Maybe not the Kurt from years ago, who hid wedding magazines under his bed and envisioned a big, fashionable wedding, but this Kurt, who had somehow survived and found someone that loved him and everything he was past and present.  Despite the very mechanical vows and process, Carole and Shelby still managed to cry, and K.J., so innocent of what was going on, alerted everyone to the fact by saying “G'ma owie.  G'ma cry. G'ma need kiss.” which totally stole everyone's attention away from Kurt and Blaine as they awed over the sweet sentiment of the little boy.

“Romeo should have been here too.”  Kurt hummed softly after rings and kisses were exchanged and they were pronounced husbands.  

“Now allowed in the building.”  Blaine noted, squeezing a hand around Kurt's waist and pressing a kiss to his temple.

“He's the only one missing though.”

“I'm sure he'll forgive us for misplacing his invitation.  Besides, I'm sure he much prefers staying in Ohio with the housesitter to being cooped up in a hotel room as he would be here.”

Kurt shrugged and smiled up at Blaine, “I don't mind being cooped up in a hotel room.”

“That's because it's our wedding night and we have both sets of grandparents and Rachel fighting over who gets to watch Cage tonight.”

Kurt laughed and looked over at the group, which, sure enough, was debating who K.J. would get to stay with that night.  “Poor kid is going to be spoiled to death in the next twenty four hours.”

“I sure hope not.  Little guy has kind of grown on me.”

Kurt just smiled, letting his mind float above him for a moment to take in the scene.  Blaine holding onto him, a son grinning towards him, surrounded by family.  Nothing more or less.  This was perfect.  

This was home.