He couldn’t wait for the trip – it would be just the thing to shake off the last of his doldrums. Kurt had plans – he and Rachel would have breakfast at Tiffany's and maybe catch a Broadway show if there was time.

He was so focused on the trip that prom kind of snuck up on him. Kurt hadn’t even realized the dance was close, but he figured it didn’t matter anyway – he wasn’t going. He didn’t have a date, and he didn’t want to get all dressed up just to watch his friends have a good time.

Then Mr Schue dropped the bomb that all of them would be performing, the intended music act backing out at the last minute. Attendance was mandatory (unless expressly forbidden by a parent or guardian – and Kurt knew his father would never do that), as they were going to use it as a dry run for their Nationals performances as well as try out a few new songs.

Now Kurt was stuck paying attention to the subject, and it stung, knowing he was going alone – Finn was going with Quinn, Santana with Karofsky - of all people, Mike and Tina were obviously going together. Brittany and Artie (who’d broken up the week before) were going as friends, though Kurt had a feeling that Brittany would probably spend most of her time with Santana. Lauren was going with Puck, and Sam and Mercedes were going together. Rachel made waves by announcing she was going with Jesse St. James, and Kurt thought Finn might pop a blood vessel right there in the choir room.

“Can I ask you a question?” Kurt paused by Rachel’s locker, leaning with his back against them. She looked up from where she was transferring stuff between the locker and her school bag.

“Sure,” Rachel replied.

“How can you… forgive Jesse for what he did to you?” Rachel was quiet for a moment and Kurt assumed she was flash back to the previous year, when she and Jesse's relationship had ended with Vocal Adrenaline egging her in the parking lot.

“I could tell that he meant it when he said he was sorry,” she finally answered. “I think he does care about me. The situation he was in last year with Shelby and his friends didn’t help. He wasn’t supposed to fall in love with me.”

“It was that easy?” Kurt asked, as she shut her locker and they headed for their next class.

“No,” Rachel told him. “It wasn’t, but I’m willing it give it a shot.” She paused. “Are you thinking about forgiving Blaine?”

“What?” Kurt looked at her, startled. “No, of course not.” Kurt forced himself to swallow around the ache in his throat. “Even if I was considering that, what would be the point?” The warning bell rang behind them, and Kurt took that as an escape as he ducked into his classroom with a wave.

What would be the point? Blaine’s probably moved on by now anyway.

*

“All right, that’s it,” Julie snapped at him. He’d just opened his door to find her on the doorstep. Blaine stared at her in shock as she brushed passed him into the apartment.

“Is there a problem?” Blaine snapped back. He was tired as he still wasn’t sleeping well.

“You, Blaine,” Julie replied. “You’re my problem.”

“What did I do?” he asked, surprised.

“That’s just it!” she exclaimed.

“I’m sorry, Julie, but I just woke up and I am so, so lost.” Blaine returned, rubbing his face with one hand. “You’ll have to break it down for me. Make sure to use small words and complete sentences.”

“Here’s the rub, Blaine,” Julie told him. “The brass over at the network has noticed you don’t seem to be as into your work as you once were. You’re flubbing lines; you’re late to filming and studio sessions, you and Sebastian are awkward on set together.” She waved her hand. “Do I need to go on?”

Blaine shrugged. “I’m doing the best that I can, Julie.”

“I know,” she said. “Believe me, I’ve never seen anyone try as hard you have.”
“What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t give a damn what you do about it, Blaine, but you need to fix it, or you’re going to be out of a job.” With that, Julie showed herself to the door and let it shut hard behind her. Blaine sighed, sinking onto the couch. He sat there for a moment, and then reached over to pick up his phone.

Blaine dialed a number he knew by heart, and sighed when the phone was answered. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, Sweetie,” she replied. “What’s going on?”

Briefly, he explained the problems he was having – she already knew all about Sebastian and Kurt as half the gifts he’d sent Kurt had been her idea.

“Well, you’ve got two choices,” Grace finally spoke. “Let him go,” Blaine made a sound like a wounded animal. “Or you could go to Ohio – you’ve got time in your schedule now – and lay it all out on the line.”

Blaine thanked his mother and then hung up with her, thinking. A slow smile crossed his face, and he dialed the phone. “Hey, Jeff,” he said when his co-star answered. “How do you feel about helping me out with something?”

*

There was one week left until prom, and the whole school had prom fever. Kurt thought he was going to scream if he had to sit through one more glee practice where everyone spent their time discussing who was going with whom in between prom songs.

They hadn’t even given him a song to sing at prom (and yet he wasn’t allowed to opt out of attending). Kurt figured they knew he was having a hard enough time, but still – it really sucked.

It was one of the first really nice days of spring and Kurt was enjoying the sunshine with the rest of his friends on the steps outside in the courtyard. He just finished his apple when he heard a murmur go through the crowd. He turned around, trying to see what was going on, when Rachel grabbed his arm in a death grip.

“Oh, my God," she said right in his ear.

“Rachel, please remove your claws,” Kurt snapped. “The last thing I need is for the skin on my arm to be shredded.”

“Look.” Rachel pointed, her grip tightening. He hissed and then looked to where she was pointing. Kurt gasped.

There, standing up at the top of the stairs looking down at him with a smile, was Blaine.