Two Days - No Communication

This was normal. Emails happened whenever possible, and they were far and away the most frequent type of communication that he had with his husband, but it was still the army. Internet connection was unpredictable, to say the least.

Kurt sat at his computer, drumming his fingers impatiently before glancing at the time in the upper right hand corner of his screen. He sighed heavily. 10pm. It was too late. If Blaine hadn't emailed him by now then it wasn't going to happen. He felt a sad tug at his heart and decided to pull up and re-read the last email he had received.

~ Hey Baby,

Sorry, this is going to be a really short one. It's late and I have plans to take my men out on an insanely long run at 0500 hours. They're gonna hate me :) Some of these young punks think that they can show me up though, and I've gotta show 'em who's boss!

Total side-note - by 0700 hours tomorrow I will be wanting to puke my guts out.

Kurt snickered to himself. He had probably read this email at least twenty times, but it still made him laugh.

Okay, so since I don't have much time, I'm going to dispense with the small talk and get right down to the important stuff.

Oh, honey... I miss you so much. I can't even say. Last night I had a dream about you. (No, it wasn't a wet dream. Get your mind out of the gutter.) You were here, and you were holding me in your arms. You held me, all night. It miss being held by you so much... it physically hurts. Every day I have to be strong, tough, in charge. I can't show fear. I can't give anyone the chance to second guess my authority.

Here's what so many people don't understand about me. I'm strong. I can lead. I can command respect. I can face down every danger that is sent my way... but only because of you. People don't know that you are the source of my strength, darling. Without you I am weak. Without you... I am nothing. The longer I am away from you, the harder it is to maintain that strength.

Here's the crazy part. When I woke up, I could still feel your arms around me. I actually felt stronger. And baby, I felt so loved. I'm going to be ridiculous, and sappily romantic, and pretend that you had the exact same dream at the exact same time. Don't ruin it for me and tell me if I'm wrong. Just humor me :)

Alright, I really need to go. Your husband is getting old and I need my beauty sleep in order to keep up with these youngsters.

I love you more than I'll ever be able to say. I hope with everything in me that I meet you in my dreams tonight.

Yours, always and forever,

Blaine

Blaine Anderson

Lieutenant Colonel, United States Army ~

Kurt sighed again and stroked his fingers across the screen, before slowly lowering the lid to his laptop and going to bed.

One Week - No Communication

Kurt lay on their bed, fingering his phone. If Blaine was able to call, this was the time that he would do so. His stomach clenched and it was a little harder to breath than he cared to admit. The seconds ticked by.

9:56

9:57

9:58

He closed his eyes, forcing himself to not watch the clock for as long as possible. Please ring. Please ring. He opened his eyes.

10:04

A tiny tear trickled out then, and he angrily pushed it away. He knew deep down that Blaine was fine. If he wasn't, someone would have contacted him. If his husband had been injured or... nope. Not even going to go there. That road just spirals into depression. Anyway, no news was good news.

He bit his lip for a moment, before giving in to temptation. He rolled off of the bed and pulled one of Blaine's t-shirts out of a drawer (one that he regularly spritzed with his husband's cologne) and pulled it over his head. He curled back up on the bed and pulled up the neck band of the shirt so that it covered his mouth and nose. He lifted the phone to his ear, found the voicemail he wanted, pressed play and breathed in deeply.

His senses overwhelmed him as he listened to his husband's voice and breathed in his scent at the same time.

I can't believe I missed you! I can't believe you're not answering your phone!

Kurt's heart hurt. He couldn't believe that he had missed that call either.

Okay, I'm not gonna hold it against you. I know you, and the only thing that could keep you from me is a child in need. You're probably at the shelter, being the amazing counselor that you are, and altering the course of a young person's life for the better. Have I ever told you how amazing you are? Wait, I have. I know, but let me say it again. You. Are. Amazing. I am honored beyond belief to call you my husband.

Kurt choked out a laugh that was a partial, happy sob. It was true. He had stayed late at the shelter that night, helping a child who was trying to escape an abusive home. It had killed him though when he got home and realized that he had missed Blaine's call.

Okay, it's gonna cut me off any second, but know that love you. Know that I miss you. Know that I jack-off to a mental picture of you in that crazy-short little kilt you wore last Halloween every time I'm in the shower.

Kurt rolled his eyes and snorted a laugh.

Know that I am counting the seconds until I get to be with you again. I'm yours, always and forever...

Kurt couldn't help the tears that spilled over when he heard the crack in Blaine's voice.

Bye Kurt.

Kurt set his phone aside numbly. He tugged the t-shirt a little more snugly over his face as he curled into a ball and pulled the covers over his head.

One Month - No Communication

Kurt walked slowly to the mailbox. Correspondence through the mail actually ended up being one of the best ways for them to communicate, but it required patience... and he hadn't received a letter from his husband in almost two months now. He hadn't heard from him period in one month. It felt like a pipe dream, thinking that something might be there, but it was all he had right now.

The loneliness, the fears... they were starting to get to him.

He opened the front of the mailbox dejectedly, telling himself that it would most likely be empty. His heart raced when he saw a lumpy package. He reached his hand into the metal box so quickly that he sliced the side of his hand open on a sharp metal corner. He didn't even notice the little drips of blood as he grasped the package with shaking fingers.

He was barely able to make out his husband's name on the return label through tear blurred eyes before he was ripping the paper open with a happy cry. His little cry turned in to an excited yelp when he saw that it was a DVD. He turned heel and ran as fast as he could back to the house.

Moments later, he was curled up on the couch and clutching a pillow to him as he pressed play. He smiled as he watched a blurred picture of what he knew was Blaine's office suddenly pop into view. Seconds later, a dark head and sparkling hazel eyes poked in front of the screen. The camera was lifted from where it was resting and zoomed in way too much on his husband's face. There was rustling and mumbling as Blaine messed with the camera.

"Damn thing. Why won't this thing ever work for me?"

Kurt covered his face with the pillow for a moment to hide his laughter. Blaine had always been technologically challenged to the extreme, yet never failed to place the blame on the machine rather than on it's user.

Slowly, the room came into focus and Blaine's face came back into view, this time sporting a wide smile.

"Hey baby! So, I'm making this video to tell you something very special. I know we haven't talked for a bit. I feel so terrible about that. I know you, and I know that you're worried. I hate that I've made you worry, but I think that the surprise I have in store will more than make up for it."

Kurt felt a tingling excitement race through him, trying to figure out what his husband could possibly have in store. The Blaine on screen jumped a little with excitement of his own and Kurt couldn't help but laugh.

"So, I'm guessing that when you ripped open this package, you took the time to look at the return label, to see if it was from me, but didn't even bother looking to see who it was originally addressed to. Right?"

On screen Blaine raised an eyebrow knowingly and Kurt blushed. He quickly grabbed the paper packaging then to read it more carefully. It was addressed to Finn Hudson. Kurt looked at the paper and then back at the television, feeling stumped. On screen Blaine was laughing.

"I knew it! Well, at least I think so. If I'm wrong then you're laughing at me. C'est la vie," he shrugged with a smile.

"Regardless, you're probably wondering by now why I had this shipped to your brother instead of you."

Kurt couldn't have stopped the ear-splitting grin from crossing his face if he had tried. He loved surprises, and Blaine knew it. On screen Blaine got down on his knees in front of the camera and looked straight into it, is if into Kurt's eyes.

"You see, I couldn't risk that you would get this on the wrong day. If I sent if straight to you, you might have gotten it early, and it would have ruined the whole thing. So, I sent it to Finn with strict instructions for him to deliver it today. If he forgot... so help me, I will strangle him."

The Blaine on screen put on an little scowl in mock irritation, and shook his fist in the air. Kurt giggled a little, thinking that he needed to thank Finn for remembering.

"If you're watching this then it means he remembered, and your surprise is still intact." Blaine gave him a dazzling smile. Kurt felt so happy that it almost hurt.

"Your surprise has to do with the fact that you haven't heard from me in a bit. You see, I've been in transition."

Kurt stopped smiling and his heart started to race.

"I've been insanely busy trying to tie up loose ends here... beause I'm getting ready to come home to you."

Kurt was sure his heart stopped.

"I was sent to a couple of remote locations to do a few jobs, kind of a favor from me to them before I left, so I didn't have internet or phone access. That's why it's been so long since we've had contact. Also, I really wanted this to be a surprise. If I had talked to you, I would have given it away. You know me. I can't keep a secret."

On screen Blaine winked. Kurt sat forward on the couch, gripping it so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"All that to say... I'm coming home to you. Today. Right now. Turn around."

Kurt felt paralyzed. He wanted nothing more than to flip backward over the couch and tackle Blaine in his arms... but what if there had been a mistake. What if things hadn't worked out? What if he turned around and Blaine wasn't there? He didn't think his heart could take it.

On screen Blaine gave another wink and then the screen went blank.

"Don't you want to see me?" A soft voice asked from the hall.

Kurt turned then. He let out something between a strangled cry of happiness and a sob as he scrambled over the couch and into Blaine's arms.

Blaine held him close, lifting up just a bit to swing him in a small circle as he laughed and cried too. He pulled back just enough to meet their lips together. It was heavy and deep and passionate. Soon they had to pull away, panting for air and leaning into each other. Kurt did his best to keep every inch of his body connected with his husband's. He couldn't stand the thought of being even a centimeter away from him. He had waited so long for this. He wasn't going to waste a single moment.

"Do you forgive me for not communicating with you for so long?" Blaine asked a little anxiously. "Was the surprise worth it?" Kurt grinned.

"Yes, and yes it was." Kurt pressed Blaine up against wall, kissing him again. "I actually have a little surprise for you now though."

Blaine pulled back from the kiss to look at him in surprise. "How could you have a surprise for me? You didn't know I was coming?"

"I got it ready the moment I heard your last voicemail. It's in the bedroom, ready to go."

Kurt grabbed Blaine by tie of his uniform and started to pull him down the hall. Blaine followed happily, but looked after him in confusion for a moment. Suddenly, realization dawned across his face.

"Oh my god. The kilt. Please tell me it's the kilt."

Kurt shot a smile over his shoulder and kept on walking. Blaine almost melted.

"Please tell me that you're going to wear it the whole time and let me do you against the wall." His voice was hoarse and cracked with anticipation.

Kurt turned around then, still holding the tie and walking backward.

"Only if you keep your uniform on."

Blaine reached forward and yanked Kurt into his arms, attacking his face and neck with kisses as he tried to touch him everywhere at once. Kurt sighed in contentment and let his husband cover him, soaking up the feeling of being loved and touched. They inched their way to the bedroom, bit by bit. Just before he shut the door, Kurt pulled back enough to look Blaine seriously in the eye. He had a million things that he wanted to say, but none seemed adequate. He said the one thing he could to sum up all of his thoughts.

"I'm so glad you're home."

Blaine sighed happily as he pressed their foreheads together.

"Me too, baby. Me too."