They were still chatting the day away, cake and even a second piece long eaten, when Kurt's phone buzzed.

Dude! Where are you? Glee started 20 min ago. - Finn

Kurt sighed and Blaine gave him a questioning smile.

"Oh it's just Finn. How late is it?" Kurt asked, absently, pressing buttons on his phone already typing out an answer.

"It's nearly four! Wow, we've been here for nearly three hours, Kurt!" Blaine chuckled and Kurt felt something warm flare inside him at the soft sound.

Is it important, Finn? Really not feeling good. - Kurt

He didn't really care about lying again. Glee had been nothing but a farce the last week and judging the way the girls had performed they could just give up and return to their regular schedule next week.

"Well, time flies when you have fun, doesn't it?" Kurt said, smiling at Blaine, blushing slightly when he noticed how flirty it had sounded.

"It really does." Blaine said, returning Kurt's smile genuinely. "I want you to know, Kurt" he paused, staring into Kurt's eyes, mustering him, like he was searching for something "That I am here for you. Not just when you feel bad. Just when you feel like it. I want to be a friend to you."

He extended his hand over the table, palm up for Kurt to take it and Kurt's breath hitched again. That might just have been the most romantic thing, someone had ever said to him... in a totally platonic way.

Tentatively, Kurt placed his hand on Blaine's, his stomach making this swoopy thing again, when Blaine squeezed his hand lightly. It was like they had just made a promise to each other and Kurt felt overwhelmed by all of it. Just that someone had declared his friendship to Kurt so openly and directly was something that didn't happen every day and Kurt didn't took it for granted.

It felt like hours but it had just been seconds, when another buzz of Kurt's phone interrupted them.

Kurt felt like crying when Blaine pulled back his hand after another small squeeze, giving him space to see to his mobile.

No really! Totally urgent! It's now or never and we need you! - Finn

Kurt looked at the text in confusion. Since when did the boys need him for anything?

"I think I do need to go. Seems like the guys need me for something." Kurt's confusion seemed to be audible, and Blaine looked at him curiously.

"Well that's good, isn't it?" Blaine said hopefully. "Like, you said you liked the glee boys but they usually aren't this ... welcoming towards you?"

"Yeah, and that's what worries me. Either they are playing a trick on me... though I don't think that the ones capable of wanting that are smart enough for it and the ones who would be, lack the motive or there is some serious stuff going on and I am for some reason their last resort... maybe they have girl trouble and I need to explain their girlfriends to them." Kurt rolled his eyes, only half joking and Blaine laughed.

The waitress came and handed them their check. Kurt was about to get his wallet out when Blaine slipped his credit card into the check folder.

"Shall I just give you the money back?" Kurt asked, being rewarded with an incredulous look.

"I said I'd buy you lunch, Kurt. And I tend to stick with what I say." He winked and immediately Kurt stopped searching for his money, blushing and thanking Blaine instead.

They left the restaurant and Blaine brought him back to McKinley. They continued chatting on the way back, Blaine telling him a little bit more about his life at Dalton and what it was like boarding there.

When they reached the school, it was deserted and with a worried gaze, Blaine asked if he should take Kurt to glee. Kurt shook his head but thanked Blaine nonetheless.

"There is literally no one left but the glee kids. I'll be fine, I mean that is my life and I deal with it. It's okay."

Blaine didn't seem to like that statement much better and for a fleeting moment Kurt noticed that it was quite incredible how Blaine's triangular eyebrows had practically become a straight line at their conversation.

"And you are really sure?" Blaine inquired once more.

"I'm sure, Blaine. Really. And thank you again for... everything."

Blaine moved slightly, and for a moment Kurt thought he would hug him but then he just turned towards him in his seat and laid one hand on Kurt's shoulder, squeezing lightly.

"Call me?"

Kurt's throat felt dry, the car suddenly smaller and their proximity much more apparent to Kurt then before and he just nodded.

When he got out, he still felt sort of wobbly, clutching at his bag as he turned to wave at Blaine driving off.

When Kurt entered the choir room there was still a fleeting lightness to his steps and he grinned at all the boys in the room who were currently sitting in a circle, loudly debating.

"Kurt! There you are!" Finn shouted and everyone looked at him.

"Fucking finally." Puck added "We're getting nowhere but Finn is convinced that you have ideas."

"Okay..." Kurt said warily, eyes darting between the other boys, like waiting for the shoe to drop.

"Yeah." Finn nodded, looking expectantly at Kurt.

There was a moment of silence where Kurt was answering Finn's expecting gaze with a questioning one.

"Oh right! Sorry, Kurt. So it's about the mash up we still haven't done shit for" he looked at everyone accusingly, like it was everyone's fault but his "but now we really need to. Not only to beat the girls but to get Beiste back."

"Preach!" Artie hollered from behind. "I think she's the only coach in all of America that would have given a disabled kid a chance to play. She's awesome and so all of us need to right their" he pointed at Sam, Finn and Mike "wrong."

Kurt nodded numbly at that, still not knowing where this was going.

"I didn't do it Artie but anyways... the point is: We want to dedicate our mash up to Coach Beiste to show her how awesome she is."

That wasn't the worst idea Finn had ever had. It was even sort of sweet, though Kurt was convinced that some flowers and an honest apology might have been the way to go here.

"Okay. Nice plan. Why exactly do you need me?"

"So Artie came up with the song Free your mind by En Vogue and we think it's great because it's about not like judging a woman from the way she looks so it's perfect for Beiste but we are really struggling with a second song and I thought that you could have an idea because something like sweet and old would be good because Beiste sort of is and this Dianna Ross you talked about is old too and her band sort of does loads of calm love songs so maybe that would be cool?"

Kurt was just nodding along, ignoring the urge to point out how insensitive his statement about Beiste's age was. First, he quite enjoyed that his opinion was valued for once, if only in a very twisted matter and second, if he had the chance to sing Diana Ross, how could he pass it?

"I do see where you are coming from, Finn and I think that was a very good idea." Kurt said slowly, suppressing his laughter at how pleased Finn looked at the others.

"And I think I have the perfect song idea. Does anyone know Stop! In the name of love by the Supremes?" He was met by five pairs of clueless eyes.

He started to lightly sing the chorus. Still nothing.

"Anyone? No one?" He sighed, getting out his IPod and plugging it into the stereo, turning on said song.

"I know this." Mike said thoughtfully, as the first tunes blared into the room. "Hey, my mum listens to music as well."

"I just think that it would fit your song of choice well. What do you think?" Kurt explained, getting them back on topic.

Everybody nodded.

"Alright!" Finn cheered. "Then let's do this! We have the songs, now we only need costumes, choreography and well the arrangement."

Kurt glanced at the clock. It was already close to five.

"I guess we could get the arrangement done today? I mean we have less than an hour... but if we work quickly, we might be done with everything by Friday."

"Kurt?" Sam's voice sounded hesitant. "We sort of only have till tomorrow afternoon."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, Beiste is leaving. So it's tomorrow or never. Figgins told her to rethink her decision till Thursday morning so we really have only one chance. Mr. Schue already talked to her and she'll be there we think but we'll have to bring it hard."

"Tomorrow?" Kurt was perplexed. How in the name of god should they do this?

"Come on, Kurt! We basically came up with our whole Sectionals number last year in like half an hour. We should be able to whip that one." Puck boasted. Kurt had to agree... to a certain extent.

"Yeah but we didn't have to make costumes or arrange the song much. Here we have to fit them together and with only six of us the choreography should be a little more... interesting."

"We'll find a way. Don't tell me you didn't already make some samples, Kurt. We all saw your board."

"I might have." Kurt admitted reluctantly. Why did Finn have to be perceptive sometimes?

Finn had stood up and walked up next to Kurt, facing all the boys.

"I know it's a lot to ask but we all know that this is important. We have to work hard but come on guys we didn't do anything so far and we should have known it would bit us in the ass. We're just splitting up to do more at once. Kurt? You do the costumes. Do you like need help with that?"

Kurt nodded.

"Yeah. It's a lot to carry. I have stuff at home but I won't be able to make quick work of that alone."

"Sam?"

"Aye, Captain!" He said in a strange voice, making everyone stare at him in confusion.

"Come one, guys! Pirates of the Caribbean!"

"Yeah... you're going to help Kurt with the costumes... and whatever he needs?"

A month ago this would have been an exciting perspective for Kurt but he noticed delightedly that he was already completely over his crush and just smiled at the nice boy, quietly asking himself if he indeed would be of any use when it came to sewing.

"Mike and Puck you work out the choreography? Mike is our best dancer and Puck does have some moves."

"Quite right I have." Puck hollered high-fiving Mike.

"And Artie and I will stay behind, working on the arrangement. Drums and guitar. We'll make it work. I know this is all on short notice. We'll just have to get our part done today and then meet up tomorrow for study hall to get everything together. I'll email you your singing parts... and maybe Puck and Mike could film the choreo so we have a head start tomorrow? We might have to skip lunch and classes after that but it's for the cause, guys!"

Everyone cheered after that and Kurt smiled fondly at the boy. Finn was a good guy and even if he wasn't always the smartest one, he was talented and was able to get people to work together if he wanted.

Three hours later though, Kurt wished to just have ignored Finn's texts and have stayed with Blaine.

They had 3 jackets done so far and even though Sam indeed was helpful, his idea of distracting from work called Come on, Kurt. I am sure you can guess that impression was quite enough to make Kurt want to take a needle and ram it somewhere very, very painful.