Burt never did end up finding out what Kurt had done to make Blaine so upset, and he realized that it was probably for the best. Their business was their business, plain and simple. He did, however, tell Kurt about Blaine’s late night phone call. He told Kurt that Blaine had called him, razor in hand, and that while Burt thinks that Blaine called before he could harm himself, he wasn’t entirely sure. Kurt, unsurprisingly, cried when Burt described just how upset Blaine had been and promised to talk about that with Blaine later. Burt hoped that Kurt learned a valuable lesson about how his actions and words affect his boyfriend.

     After the fight was resolved, the boys were more inseparable than ever. Burt began to wonder if they were trying to pack in eight months of couple-ness in the fourth months they had together before Kurt would leave for New York. Blaine was always around, helping Kurt practice for his NYADA audition, helping him choose his audition outfit, even helping him sort through his things to figure out what to pack and what to leave behind. It confused Burt. After how afraid Blaine was of Kurt leaving him, he now seemed to be helping Kurt out the door.

     The next time Burt gets a moment alone with Blaine, he asks about it.

     “So why are you suddenly so helpful with Kurt’s grand plan of escape?”

     Blaine doesn’t answer for a few moments, but when he does, it’s with a sweet smile on his face.

     “It’s what he wants. I’m helping him be happy. I like being involved now because it’s getting my foot in the door. I’m ensuring that I’ve done everything I can to make sure he’ll be okay. I feel almost like I’m protecting him from everything out there. Like if I can set things up perfectly for him, everything will work out. He’ll be happy and healthy and safe and we’ll be okay, too.”

     It’s a bit overly idealistic, but Burt understands it for sure. It’s the main reason that Burt wants to help Kurt move in all of his stuff into his new place in New York. If he can see that Kurt will be good there, he’s got a whole lot to worry about.

     Burt nods, patting Blaine on the shoulder.

     “Is it working?” he asks.

     Blaine tilts his head from side to side in a gesture that seems to convey mixed feelings.

     “Yes and no. It is good for all those reasons I said, but now I’m so invested that I have to remind myself that I’m not going till next year. All this is happening to Kurt, not to me.”

     “So you’re going to NYADA, too?” Burt asks, surprised. He’s never heard Blaine talk about his future much.

     Blaine does the head tilt again.

     “Maybe not NYADA. Maybe NYU or even Juilliard. I just know that I want to be in New York. Not just because Kurt’s there or it’s his dream, but because it’s been my dream too, just as long.”

     This raises new questions in Burt’s mind.

     “So are you too going to get a place together next year?” Burt somehow manages to keep his tone even, despite the anxiety he feels.

     Blaine smiles, laughing slightly, obviously seeing through Burt’s composure.

     “Would you rather we had this conversation in six months, Burt?” It’s teasing, and Burt doesn’t even mind because he’s so glad that Blaine’s in a good enough mood to tease.

     Burt decides to laugh as well, maybe even tease back.

     “Sounds pretty good to me.” Burt agrees. “But I can’t see it being a problem. Hell, it’ll be nice to not have to be worried about walking in on you.”

     Blaine turns bright red at this comment.

     Burt had asked Kurt early on if he’d want Burt to come to his audition. Kurt hadn’t been fully decided, but had ultimately done the whole “Oh, you know, whatever works best for you” speech. Burt wasn’t sure what to make of that, but he decided to go all the same, but to sit at the back of the auditorium.

     Hearing the scout lady talk before Kurt’s performance got Burt really worried. It sounded like she really wasn’t expecting to find anyone new or exciting – it was going to take a lot to impress her.

     But then Kurt performs, and he’s amazing. It’s the best Burt’s ever seen him, even if Burt didn’t particularly want to see his baby boy dancing suggestively in skin-tight gold pants. Burt doesn’t know anything about theatre, really, and he knows he’s biased but in that moment, Burt decides that Kurt is every bit as talented as all those people in the musicals that he’d made Burt sit through over the years.

     And, miraculously, the scout is just as impressed. She praises him, and Burt swears he hears Blaine let out a joyful sob. There’s no doubt in Burt’s mind that Kurt is getting into NYADA now. He literally couldn’t have done a better job. And Burt is so proud. So incredibly proud.

     He watches as Blaine jumps out of his seat to run backstage to congratulate Kurt. Burt considers staying to watch Rachel, but decides he’s been away from his work long enough. A little voice in his head suggests that he needs to work harder to get to know and appreciate the girl. Technically speaking, she is just as close to being family as Blaine is. And yet, even while thinking that, Burt doesn’t really feel it to be true. Huh. He’ll have to work on that.

     The boys get home somewhat late that evening, well after Finn and Sam have come home. Finn came home just to grab some stuff before heading over to Rachel’s. Apparently her audition “hadn’t gone so good” and she was “like really upset and stuff.” Burt didn’t try to get any more information than that from Finn, figuring he’d ask Kurt about it later.

     Kurt and Blaine stumble in the door around eight that evening. Burt’s glad to see that Kurt isn’t still wearing those ridiculous gold pants, but isn’t thrilled to notice that the sweatpants he’s wearing are clearly Blaine’s – they’re about four inches too short at the ankle.

     All the same, Burt tackles the boys into a bear hug, offering his congratulations and praise for the performance. Kurt had noticed he was there, apparently, but Blaine hadn’t. They chat for a long time that evening, long enough that when they go their separate ways at midnight, Burt wonders when the last time had been that he’d just talked with Kurt for that long.

     He realizes with a shock that they’d never had a chat like that before. It wasn’t a parent offering advice or a child explaining something amazing they’d learned at school. They were talking more like friends than father and son. Blaine had helped to bridge the gap between them, that was sure, but there was more to it than that. Kurt had grown up a lot in the past year, there was no doubt in Burt’s mind. He feels a pang in his chest as he realizes that Kurt’s going to do even more growing up in the next year, and Burt’s not going to be around to watch it happen.