"Seriously? How much princess stuff do you own, dude?" Puck grunted as he lifted the Disney princess playhouse and set it in the back of the moving truck.

"I have a three-year-old daughter. It kind of comes with the territory." Blaine gave an exasperated smile as he lifted a box filled with Addy's play-clothes and slide it in next to the the house.

"Whatever you need to tell yourself." Puck winked and walked back to the apartment building.

The movers Kurt had hired made quick work of disassembling Blaine's apartment, and along with Puck's help they were nearly finished with this half of the move before noon. Blaine had felt that the movers were an unnecessary extravagance, but seeing how easy they made things quickly changed his mind.

Blaine entered his apartment one last time, double-checking that everything had indeed been cleared out. He was pleased with how clean he was leaving the place, grateful that he would get his security deposit back. The bills were going to be coming in soon from Addy's doctor's visits and surgery. The return of his deposit along with the deduction of rent from his monthly bills would help greatly. He felt arms around his waist and a kiss was placed on the side of his neck. Sighing contentedly, he leaned back into the embrace.

"Everything set to go?" Kurt questioned, placing another soft kiss.

"I think so. I just need to check in with my super one last time and thank him. He's been so great about this whole thing. Why don't you come meet him with me?" He turned around in Kurt's arms and kissed his fiancé on the mouth. It was a quick, chaste meeting of the lips that turned into little eskimo kisses. Blaine loved these types of kisses just as much as the intense, erotic ones. It showed that their love was deep and had many levels, just as it should be.

"Absolutely, I'd love to meet this guy. I'd like to tell him that I appreciate what he's done for you. I can't stop thinking about what he told you though. He's got such a sad story. In a weird way, I wish I'd known his son. We would have been the same age from what I can tell..."

"Yeah, I know. I feel connected to him too, though I never met him." Blaine sighed deeply, pressing his forehead into Kurt's shoulder. "It was pointless... his death. I just don't get how life works sometimes." Blaine wrapped his arms around the man he loved, not understanding this cruel world, but so thankful that he had Kurt to navigate life with.

"Let's get going." Blaine pulled away and swatted the doctor on the backside, grinning at him mischievously. Kurt gave him a mock indignant glare as they exited the front door, hand in hand.

Blaine knocked on his super's door moments later, still gripping the other man's hand tightly. The door opened after just a second and Blaine smiled at the older man standing before him.

"Hey Mr. Karofsky. We just moved the rest of my things..." He stopped when he saw the looks that his fiancé and his super were exchanging.

Both were of recognition and surprise.

Kurt's expression also showed pleasure and curiosity.

Paul's showed pity and regret.

"Oh my god! Mr. Karofsky! I haven't seen you in years! Not since Dave got married! How is he doing..." Kurt trailed off with a sudden catch in his breath. Things suddenly clicked into place. The super with a son that had been killed. A son that had come out in his teens and had a rough time. A son that had moved to New York...

(No. Oh god, no. This can't be happening! NO, NO, NO!)

Kurt started to back away from the door, shaking his head slowly, tears filling his eyes. It was so hard to breathe. Why couldn't he breathe? Everything was caving in on him. The hallway was spinning and the walls felt way too close and heavy.

"Honey... Kurt?" Blaine was talking to him, putting arms around him. He was too close. Kurt pushed him away frantically. He still couldn't breathe.

"You're having a panic attack, baby. Sit down. Head between your knees. Deep breaths. There you go. It's okay honey..."

Kurt struggled to take in the deep breaths as instructed. Slowly, the hallway came back into focus and his breathing slowed. Tears were running down his face freely by now. He looked up to the older man who had squatted down next to him and was awkwardly patting him on the leg. Only one thought came to mind. One thought that he could voice.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

They were sitting in a booth at the back of the diner. Blaine thought it ironic that this was the very diner and the very booth they had sat in, not long ago, to hear the news that Alex had been found and was in a coma. Apparently this was the place for dark and heavy conversations.

Kurt and Blaine sat on one side of the booth. Paul sat on the other.

Kurt was looking steadily down at the table and Paul was twiddling nervously with the straw in his water.

Blaine sat still, silently glancing at both men, waiting for one or the other to talk.

"I'm so sorry." Kurt's voice was a hoarse whisper. "I-I didn't know. I never heard. We lost touch a few years back..." Paul nodded slowly, watching the younger man with sympathy.

"Thank you, Kurt." The older man's voice was the most emotional that Blaine had ever heard. "I'm sorry I never talked to you, that I never told you what happened. I kind of closed myself off to everything that reminded me of David. I couldn't..." He caught a ragged breath at this and closed his eyes before going on. "I guess I thought that you'd probably heard of it somehow. No one else here in Lima would have cared so I didn't..." Paul jerked up a hand to wipe away a rogue tear.

"I care." The words were spoken quietly but genuinely. "I cared then and I care now. I'm not trying to make you feel badly for not telling me, Mr. Karofsky... I just want you to remember that I'm not the same as everyone else in this town. I always cared about David."

"Yeah, son. I know. You were the best friend that my kid had at the end there." Kurt nodded slowly, tears starting to flow again. He did nothing to stop or hide them, merely wiped at his cheeks with the back of his hand.

"How long has it been, if you don't mind my asking." Kurt sniffed, pulling a napkin from the table to help wipe his eyes.

"Eight years ago, almost." Paul gave a deep sigh and nodded, as if affirming this to himself.

"Eight... eight years?" Kurt's voice was full of pain. "I must have literally just talked to him before..." he couldn't bring himself to finish that thought aloud. "That would have been the beginning of my second year of med school. We talked in October. I distinctly remember because it had been forever since we had seen each other and we were joking around about how we missed dressing up and going to Halloween parties together. Remember when we went as the Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion that one year?" Both men laughed through their tears at that memory. "I had felt so badly because we were really losing touch with one another. Med school was kicking my butt and he and Jon had just adopted Marcus a few months prior. We promised to try and get together at Christmas but I never heard from him and just assumed he got busy and then life got in the way..." Kurt sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"It happened in November." Paul added softly, looking down at his water. Kurt could only stare wordlessly in response. He must have been one of the last people from Lima that Dave had ever spoken too...

"Um, how did it... I mean, Blaine told me the scant details, but..." Kurt's throat seemed to close up on him at this question. He looked across the table desperately. Paul just watched him, nodding slowly, as if building up the courage to talk. Tears were flowing freely down the man's face now.

"He uh, he was walking home from work one night. He called Jon to say that it was such a beautiful night he was going to skip the cab and enjoy the fall weather." Paul's voice finished the sentence in a choked whisper and he was nodding his head again with his eyes closed, tears leaking out the sides. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat before going on. "We don't know if he was taking a short-cut down the alley or if he was dragged there..." Paul stopped again to take more deeps breaths and wipe at the rebellious tears. Kurt had brought a hand to his mouth to cover some of the horror he was feeling. "Nobody saw it happen. No fingerprints were found. No one was ever caught. He... he wasn't found until the next day... by then he had been gone for several hours. There was, um, there was a trail of blood for several feet showing that he had apparently tried to crawl out..." Paul was sobbing loudly and brokenly by this point. Kurt's cries were silent, but shook his entire body violently. Blaine could only sit there, feeling like he would be sick and wanting desperately to comfort both men but knowing he couldn't.

Suddenly, Kurt tore out of his side of the booth and sat next to the older man, flinging his arms around him. "I'm sorry! I'm so, so very sorry!" They sat there hugging and crying for the longest time, rocking gently back and forth. Eventually Paul pulled back and mopped his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Damn kid!" He let out a small laugh that was actually genuine. "I seriously thought that I had no more tears left to cry. I don't know how you did that." Kurt managed a small smile and laugh of his own. There really wasn't any humor in it, but it was sincere.

Eventually Kurt moved back to his side of the booth. They ordered food, but only because it was expected. No one ate a bite. The tears calmed and memories of Dave began to flow out naturally. Some brought laughter, some brought tears. Every single one brought the tiniest bit of healing.

Blaine learned through the conversation that David had actually been quite a bully before coming out and Kurt had been somewhat of a target. After something of a climax in their tumultuous relationship, that part was left unclear, Dave had switched schools. He had unfortunately been outed by a new classmate and his own life, in turn, had been made torcherous. That was when he had tried to kill himself. That was when he and Kurt's friendship had formed. Kurt had stepped up, according to Paul, and become the friend and mentor that David had needed. Slowly, their relationship had turned into one of mutual caring and support. They had stayed that way throughout college, seeing each other when they could, always there to talk and laugh and catch up on life.

Blaine looked at his fiancé in a new light after hearing this back-story. He hadn't thought that his love for this man could possibly grow any more... he was wrong.

They finished their time by filling Paul in on their newly budding relationship, their lives, their kids. The old man soaked it all up with great enjoyment.

"I'm happy for you boys. Really, just so happy. I am sorry to hear about how things are with you husband, kiddo," he shot a caring look at Blaine, "but it looks like you're in a really good place now... and let me tell you. This is one stand-up man you've got yourself. Don't take him for granted, okay?" Blaine nodded fervently, knowing the man was right. "Same goes for you now, Kurt. I've liked this boy since the moment he showed up at my building. You be good to him, hear?" Kurt nodded too, taking every word to heart.

"Well, listen. I really need to get going and you two have some moving to finish." Paul pulled out some bills to pay for their food, despite the protests of both younger men, and stood to leave. Kurt and Blaine looked at each other intently, both knowing knowing what the other was thinking without having to voice a word.

"Mr. Karofsky, I just want to say what a pleasure it's been getting to know you," Blaine spoke up suddenly. "Even though I'm moving out we really don't want to lose touch with you. You've been so great to both Addy and I... and I know that you mean a lot to Kurt too. I'd really like to stay in touch. Maybe we can have you over for dinner sometime or just talk and catch up whenever..." he trailed off, wondering if he was coming on too strong. Paul just smiled.

"I'd really like that. You've got my number, okay?" After hugs all around, a little awkwardly on the older man's part, they left the diner and headed their separate ways.

Paul watched as the two younger men linked hands and walked to their car. He nodded to himself with a genuine smile. This was good. This was as life should be.

"So, I'm thinking that we turn my office into Addy's bedroom." Kurt walked into the bedroom, drying his damp hair with a towel, dressed in his flannel pajama pants and Columbia tee. Blaine was suddenly reminded of the very first night they had spent together and found himself in disbelief of how far things had come in such a short amount of time. The nurse smiled from his place on the bed. He was sitting up against the headboard, book in hand and glasses on. He held out his arms for the other man and Kurt smiled, climbing into them happily. The taller man scooted backward between his fiancé's legs and leaned in, back against chest. Blaine's arms wrapped around him and they snuggled contentedly.

"Do you mind? I don't want to take that away from you just because we're moving in." Blaine kissed the damp hair, breathing in the smell of soap and lotion and just pure Kurt.

Kurt waved a hand in the air, as if to show how ridiculous that thought was. "I seriously never use it, Blaine. I set it up before I was a dad and actually had time to myself." He laughed to himself at this comment. "I know that the kids haven't minded sharing a room, heck even sharing a bed, but we have the space to give Addy her own room and I think both kids deserve that. They'll be growing up quickly and this living arrangement will get old for them fast." Blaine nodded into the brown hair.

"Thanks, baby. Thank you for opening up your life to us."

"I wouldn't have it any other other way." Kurt lifted a tanned hand in his pale one to place a gentle kiss on the fingers. "Besides, you made much bigger sacrifices today. We're settling into MY place, not yours. You gave up your own space, most of your furniture... you're integrating yourself into our world. The least I can do is make it as smooth a transition as possible."

"Well, you've succeeded, honey." Blaine put his nose to the doctor's head and breathed in deeply once more. Seriously, everything about this man was intoxicating and addictive.

"Hey, um, how are you doing... you know, about everything that happened today. You were pretty quiet after we left the diner and then we got so busy with the unloading and unpacking all afternoon and evening." Blaine spoke carefully, wanting Kurt to know that he was there to listen but not to push. Kurt was silent for a moment before flipping himself over and pulling Blaine down on the bed so that they could lay together. Kurt nestled his head into his fiancé's chest before speaking.

"He kissed me once."

(Wow. Wasn't expecting that.) Blaine struggled to not tense up at this piece of information.

"It was kind of a hate kiss. It was really crazy. He had been attacking and bullying me so much and I finally got fed up and confronted him about it. I was so angry I could hardly see straight. I was in his face and yelling and insulting him… out of nowhere he grabbed me and kissed me. This supposedly straight homophobe was kissing me."

(Okay. New levels of shock. What the hell do I say to this?) Blaine couldn't help but tense up then. A fierce protectiveness that he didn't know he possessed overwhelmed him and he squeezed Kurt tight. He desperately tried to think of something to say but before any words could come to him Kurt started speaking again.

"Things got worse for a while. He was so angry and so terrified that I might tell people. He told me once that he would kill me if I told. I seriously thought about transferring schools."

(Oh my god. How did I not know this before now?)

"That's when Puck and I became friends though and he backed off. Things were okay for a while, we just avoided each other. Then it all changed. People were starting to spread rumors about him, I don't even know where or how they started. He transferred schools to get away from it. Things were better for a while. I think in his new environment he became more confident in who he was and he started to slowly come out of his shell. That's when it happened. He told me he was in love with me."

(What the fuck!)

"I couldn't believe it at first. Here was this guy who had made my life a living hell for so long and now he was confessing his undying love. I tried to let him down as nicely as possible but he was pretty upset. That's not the worst part though. You already know what happened next. A supposed friend from his new school saw us at a restaurant together and spread the news that he was gay. His entire school attacked him. That's when he tried to kill himself." Kurt was sobbing gently now and Blaine held him close, still having no words.

"I never went through that, Blaine. Yes, I had my share of bullies and tormentors but I still had good friends and my dad always loved and supported me. Dave's entire world crashed around him. His own mother even disowned him. I had to be there for him, he had nobody else."

(This is singularly the most loving, compassionate and generous man I have ever known. I will spend every day of the rest of my life making him happy if it kills me.)

"For a while, I really just mentored him, but we actually became good friends over the years." Kurt sat up then, wiping the tears from his eyes angrily.

"He was finally happy, Blaine! He was happy! What the fuck is wrong with this world? What kind of sick cosmic joke is this?"

Blaine swallowed hard and shook his head, crying himself by this point. He pulled Kurt back to him, not letting go even when Kurt tensed in his arms and tried to pull away. After a moment the doctor finally started to relax.

That's when the damn broke. Blaine thought that Kurt had been crying hard before, but that was nothing. Broken-hearted sobs echoed throughout the bedroom. Kurt cried for David. He cried for himself. He cried for Paul. He cried for all of the injustice in the world. He cried because there was nothing else he could do.

Blaine just held him until the tears were gone and there was nothing but a searing ache left in his soul. Blaine's arms were his solace. His rock. In the morning the pain would be better… thank God he had those arms.