2034

"Anyway, Ava," Blaine caught his daughter's eyes once more, "I learned my lesson from alcohol that Christmas, and never let myself drink beyond my control. Not even the next year, when I went with Daddy on his concert tour and we went out with all the cool Broadway celebrities after the shows."

Carole's face glowed. "Oh, I remember your Trevor Project Charity Concert Tour…It was Christmas of 2016, wasn't it? It was such a treat for us to see you perform on your first tour."

"You followed Daddy on tour?" Ava looked at Blaine. "Wow, that must have been something special!"

"Yes it was, Ava, yes it was…" Blaine smiled at Kurt. "Honey, why don't we tell this story together?"

2016

Kurt paced the powdery white grounds of the spacious academic quad at Columbia University's campus. The air was chilly, and a light snow was falling. Kurt, however, was oblivious to the snowflakes settling on his eyelashes. Clad in tight black jeans, bundled in his long grey pea coat, and wearing his favorite red scarf (which Blaine had given him as a Valentine's Day present the year before), he waited excitedly for his beloved to exit the old brick building at the top of the steps, where Blaine was writing his final exam of the semester. Finally, a short, dark haired figure in a puffy blue parka skipped down the steps of the majestic brownstone structure. Kurt spotted him from the corner of his eye, and immediately ran toward him.

"Blaine!" Kurt shouted, the steam from his breath visible even from afar.

Blaine heard the familiar voice and accelerated towards the source. "Kurt!" he exclaimed as he leapt into Kurt's open arms. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be on a plane by now?" He smothered Kurt's cheeks, nose, ears and lips with messy, wet kisses.

"Change of plans, B," Kurt responded in between kisses. "I begged and got the tour organizers to let me leave a day later. We'll join the rest of the performers tomorrow."

Blaine held his boyfriend tightly and breathed in his familiar scent. "Wow, Kurt, it's really nice of you to do that for me, especially since you're performing tomorrow night already. I'm glad I have you for one more night to celebrate the end of exam week!" He gave Kurt a squeeze and nibbled his ear. Suddenly a thought dawned on him. He pulled away abruptly.

"Wait a minute," he said in a questioning tone. "What do you mean, WE?"

Kurt grabbed Blaine by the shoulders and stared exuberantly into a pair of hazel eyes.

"Yes, Blaine Anderson Warbler, WE are leaving tomorrow!" Kurt began bouncing on his toes. "The tour organizers agreed to pay for your flights, and you have backstage VIP passes for all the shows. B, we're going on tour…together!"

Suddenly, the world spun madly around Kurt. The buildings and trees whizzed by, and it took him a few seconds to register that Blaine had simply picked him clear off the ground and spun him around several times. Apparently, being a good inch shorter than Kurt did not deter Blaine from flinging his boyfriend around like a rag doll, laughing and yelping like an overexcited child on Christmas morning.

"Woah, steady, tiger!" Kurt laughed, grabbing Blaine tightly by the waist. The world gradually stopped revolving and his feet found solid ground. "People are staring!" The two looked around. Sure enough, they had attracted a few raised eyebrows and quizzical glances from passers-by.

A spark flickered in Blaine's hazel eyes. "Let 'em stare, honey!" Blaine exclaimed, still clutching Kurt tightly. "I'm so thrilled! I don't care if the whole world is staring at us!"

"Well, now, Mr. Anderson, that was quite the show you put on for us out here. Eager to get a start to your holidays, I take?" Kurt heard the gentle British accent and turned around. A short, pudgy older man with thin grey hair dressed in a long black trench coat approached the two young men. He held out his hand to Blaine, who shook it in return. "And, might this be the muse of whom you speak so fondly in our seminars?" The older man adjusted his wire-framed glasses.

Blaine's face turned crimson. "Professor Elliot, I'd like you to meet Kurt Hummel, my boyfriend. Kurt, this is Professor Elliot, my senior thesis advisor. You remember me telling you about him?"

Kurt shook the professor's hand enthusiastically. "Professor, it's very nice to meet you," he said politely. "I've heard so much about you."

Professor Elliot smiled warmly and clasped his free hand over Kurt's. "And I about you, Mr. Hummel. Not a single class goes by without young Anderson here mentioning you in some way. Makes for lively discussion, especially when the topic is Elizabethan love sonnets." Kurt's face colored to match the reddish glow on Blaine's visage.

"And by the way Mr. Hummel," the professor continued, "my wife and I are tremendous fans. We saw your performance in My Fair Lady recently, and your portrayal of Henry Higgins is simply astounding. You are such a talented, gracious young man, and it is an absolute honor to meet you." The older man hesitated, and then he rummaged through his tattered brown leather briefcase. He pulled out a pen and a glossy sheet of paper that Kurt recognized immediately as the program from My Fair Lady.

"I suppose this is rather awkward, but, Mr. Hummel, would you mind autographing this? It would be a nice surprise for Penelope."

The young couple smiled, bemused by the prospect of this senior academic fawning over a young upstart Broadway performer from the Ohio backwater. Kurt reached for the program.

"Thank you so much for the compliment" Kurt said humbly as he scribbled a quick message on the glossy page. "But really, it's Blaine who's my muse."

"So, gentlemen, any big plans for the holidays? Will you be heading home to Ohio right away?" Professor Elliot queried.

The two young men gave each other knowing glances. Blaine grinned. "Well, Professor, Kurt is traveling throughout the country during the next few weeks to perform on the Trevor Project Charity Concert Tour, and it looks like I'll be part of his entourage!"

"Marvelous! What a great cause for the holidays!" The professor beamed at the pair. "Will some of the concerts be televised? Penelope and I will certainly tune in."

Kurt nodded. "Thank you for your support, professor. We'll make sure you get the schedule of televised concert dates."

"Well, as much as I'd love to get acquainted, I'm afraid I do have to get going." The professor shook hands with Kurt and Blaine once more. "After all, exams don't grade themselves. Happy holidays, both of you."

Blaine nudged Kurt once the professor had walked away. "Aw, look Kurt, you have a fanboy…I think old Elliot might be off to start a Kurt Hummel fan club among Columbia faculty! Wait 'till he sees you on tour!" His goofy grin turned into a frown. Worry lines creased his forehead, and he wrinkled his eyebrows as if in distress.

"What's wrong, Blaine?" Kurt's face fell. He trembled. "You don't want to go on tour with me? You don't have to, if you don't want to, it's just something I thought you might-"

"No, no, no, I WANT to go!" Blaine interrupted when he heard the panic in Kurt's voice. "But, the apartment's a mess, I haven't cleaned anything in 3 weeks, and oh, God, what about packing? What do I take with me? I have nothing to wear! And how are we getting home for Christmas Eve? Shit, the plants, we have no one to water the plants..." He rambled, pacing frantically.

Kurt trapped Blaine in his arms and held him still. "Shhh, don't you worry your pretty little head. I've gotten that all taken care of. The apartment is spotless, and I've packed your suitcase. Dad and Carole will come to the Columbus show right before Christmas Eve, and then we'll go home with them while the show is on hiatus for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I called Emily and Jill; they'll take turns with plant duty until we're back. Today we can just have some us time." He rested his hands on the small of Blaine's back and caressed him gently. He gazed into Blaine's soft eyes until he saw the calm return. He planted his lips firmly on Blaine's. "Come on, let's go home," he whispered sultrily. "I think we should take advantage of the extra day of us time."

The next twelve days flew by in a whirlwind for both Kurt and Blaine. The tour group had traveled through a handful of cities: Seattle, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Chicago…the list of tour stops never seemed to end. Kurt performed almost every night, and on some days, he even appeared in two shows. On the first few nights of the tour, Kurt and Blaine eagerly accompanied other cast and crew members for a drink after the evening concert. They two had a grand time hanging out with other stars, and soaked up every minute of the incredible experience. By the end of the first week, the circus of rehearsals, concerts, publicity events and travel had finally caught up to them. The performers had such a tight schedule of activities that Blaine and Kurt rarely had a moment alone together. They learned quickly to duck out of social events as early as possible each night, and to retire to their hotel room where they curled up together in their king size bed, giggling about the latest backstage antics of Kurt's co-stars as they fell asleep. In spite of the insanity of a demanding tour schedule, the lovebirds cherished every moment they had together on the journey.

Finally, it was the night before Christmas Eve, where the concert was held in Columbus, Ohio. Blaine sat in the front row of the concert arena along with Burt, Carole and other VIPs. He watched as Kurt took center stage. The audience erupted in cheers when he pulled the microphone off the mic stand. Kurt had just changed outfits from his last set on stage. He wore a while collared shirt with three quarter length sleeves, a shimmery silver vest, tight black stonewashed jeans, and a pair of black knee-high boots with white laces and white trim. It was Blaine's favorite tour outfit, and he couldn't help but let his eyes devour that sight from head to toe. He caught Kurt's sparking blue eyes, and blew him a kiss.

"Helloooooo, Columbus! I hope you're enjoying the show tonight!" Kurt's voice boomed over the AV system in the stadium. He waited until the screams had died down before he spoke again.

"Since I'm from Ohio, the tour organizers have graciously allowed me to have the open mic for a few minutes. I just want to take the opportunity to thank my family in the audience." He walked over to the spot on the stage closest to where Burt and Carole were seated.

"Dad and Carole, thank you for being there for me all these years, and supporting me. You guys are great, and I love you." The audience applauded when the spotlight swiveled over to Burt and Carole and their images flashed across the giant screens located around the arena.

"Also, a special shout-out to Finn, my brother from another mother, and Rachel, who made sure I went after my dreams."

"And now, I have something to say to a special someone in the audience." He looked directly at a certain dark, curly-haired man sitting in the front row sporting a black and white striped shirt and a burgundy cardigan. "Blaine Anderson, will you please come up on stage?"

Blaine's jaw dropped to the ground. He gave Kurt a puzzled look, but the man on stage simply widened his smile and winked at him. Blaine looked around, trying to figure out what to do. What could Kurt possibly be up to? He wondered. He saw Carole mouth the words, "Go on, honey." He set his eyes on two burly security guards.

"Mr. Anderson, sir?" One of the guards said politely. "We've been instructed to escort you onto the stage. Could you please follow us, whenever you're ready?"

Well, guess I'll find out, Blaine thought to himself as he allowed the security guards to lead him from his seat and guide him through the aisle and up the steps to the stage. Blaine moved towards Kurt, facing him.

"Come here, you." Kurt spoke into the microphone, a warm chuckle escaping from him. He reached out and pulled Blaine closer towards him.

"Give me your hand." Kurt took his hand. "Hold it to your heart." He folded it gently on Blaine's chest. Suddenly, Blaine got that gushy feeling he had felt after the opening night of West Side Story back when they were still kids at McKinley. He smiled warmly as he recalled those very words he spoke to Kurt on that empty stage five years ago. It was also the night when he and Kurt decided they would give everything of themselves to each other. He swooned at that memory.

"Blaine, you are my man, my inspiration." Kurt spoke tenderly. The audience hushed immediately, sensing the intimacy of what was transpiring on stage. "Six years ago you turned around to talk to me on a crowded staircase at Dalton Academy, and my life changed for the better."

Blaine's eyes welled up with tears as he stared intensely into a pair of glistening blue eyes. He felt submerged in a tidal wave of emotion.

"You taught me to have courage and to be true to myself," Kurt continued with just the slightest tremble in his voice. Thousands of eyes were transfixed on the stage, but Kurt spoke as if Blaine was the only person present. "You've always been there for me through my best and worst days. You are the beacon of light in my life, and I could not imagine going on my first tour without you by my side. Blaine, you take my breath away every single day, and I thought it would be fitting for me to dedicate the next song to you."

A few stage hands brought two tall stools to the stage and placed them side by side. Kurt gestured at the stools, and he and Blaine took their seats as the lights dimmed and the band behind them played the first chords. Kurt turned his body towards Blaine, looked longingly into his boyfriend's eyes, and began to sing the first verse.

On this day, snowy day

Let me thank you for the joy you're giving me...

I'm so happy...

I have snowflakes of love smiling down on me

winter bliss when we kiss

Every wish my lips could see

I'm so happy...

I have snowflakes of love smiling down on me

The song seemed perfect for the occasion. Fake snowflakes drifted on the stage as Kurt's clear, velvety voice continued to soar through the building.

Snowy day

Would you please take me away

Away with you...

Hold me so closely

Like the moonlight lights the sky...

In my dreams of soft winter breeze

Eases my mind, but when I wake

there's nothing but leaves

Still, I'm happy...

I have snowflakes of love smiling down on me

Kurt hopped off his stool and circled around Blaine, never taking his eyes off the love of his life. With his free hand, he took one of Blaine's and led him slowly from his seat towards the front of the stage.

Oh, how I imagine the day we met

And those tingles from those little butterflies...

Reminiscing, I get so happy

I just break down and cry

Candlelight burning bright

Underneath a cool, starry night

You and me, endlessly, it's the greatest gift

that love could give to me

On this day, snowy day

Let me thank you for the joy you've given to me...

I'm so happy...

When the last chords of the song faded away, Kurt and Blaine stood facing each other once more. Blaine leaned in, ready to kiss the beautiful man in front of him, but suddenly recalled once saying something about on-stage kisses being unprofessional. In that moment, he wanted to travel back in time and take those words back. As it turned out, it didn't matter because Kurt leaned in a pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

The audience finally awoke from a deep trance, and the building erupted in warm applause. Kurt and Blaine looked around them, and realized that everyone had risen to their feet. The pair smiled lovingly at each other, and with the fake snow still falling on them, they felt as if they were in a magic snow globe.

2034

"Grandpa," Ava said quietly, "are you crying?"

Everyone looked at Burt. Sure enough, a few teardrops trickled down his face.

"Kid," Burt said, half laughing, "I'm reliving the moment. There wasn't a dry eye in that arena. I was bawling like a baby, honest to God."

Carole stared dreamily into space. "That pure love you boys expressed for each other was simply out of this world. I think people who were there that night still look back on it as something magical."

Rachel raised her eyebrows. "Finn and I kiss on stage, and people ask why that T-rex is eating the Jew. You guys kiss on stage, and it's on the PBS Most Romantic Moments on Stage DVD! We definitely got the short end of the stick!"

"Well, we were on a tour featuring adult professionals, and not in a high school show choir competition," Kurt said in defense.

Finn threw up his hands in resignation. "You guys and your puppy love…Geez, who can beat that?"