Blaine woke up the next day excited and ready to see Kurt. They hadnt made any plans for the day even after having dinner together last night, so Blaine was just going to have to go find him. There was a little voice in the back of his head pestering him that it was probably time to head home, that he shouldnt overstay his welcome, that Cooper was expecting a call about when he could go out to California to visit.

The little voice pestered and he ignored it.

Instead he got dressed and rushed downstairs before Sam was even awake. He thought he was up before anyone but he found Mercedes in the kitchen working on breakfast.

"Can I help with that?"

She turned and smiled at him. "Alright," she nodded towards the pantry. "Want to start peeling some potatoes?"

Blaine grabbed the potatoes and sat at the table and started to peel. "That dinner last night was amazing." Blaine said in way of making conversation.

"Everyone always brings their best dishes. We secretly all want everyone to like ours the most."

Blaine laughed, "Your pie was my favorite."

"I know youre just saying that to get on my good side." She winked at him and came to the table with a couple cups of tea and placing one in front of Blaine as she started chopping the potatoes he peeled.

"No. It really was delicious."

"Mmm hmmm. And you arent trying to butter me up because Kurt is my dear friend and you want me to put in a good word for you?"

Blaine could feel his cheeks heating up. "That isnt what Im doing I swear." He paused from peeling to take a sip of tea to cover the smile he couldnt keep off his face.

"Youre not pining over Kurt then?"

Blaine coughed on his tea and placed the cup back on the table. "No."

Mercedes lifted her eyebrows in question.

"I mean maybe…not pining, but I do like him. Hes just… Ive never met anyone like him before."

Mercedes laughed this time. "Oh you have no idea."

"What does that mean?" Blaine said with a smile as he started to peel the last potato.

Instead of answering she just smiled back, "I know he hasnt met anyone like you before, everyone I know I grew up knowing, Kurt is the same way."

Blaine nodded. "I did notice that Folaigh seems to be… very…" He wasnt sure how to finish the sentence without saying something that Mercedes might take offence to.

"Isolated from the rest of the world?" Mercedes said plainly.

"Well, yes."

"You arent wrong."

"Why… is that exactly?" Blaine asked trying to think of a delicate way to find out if Folaigh was some kind of commune or religious group or something.

"Were just…. a town of like-minded people." She answered. "Here help me fry these up." She said effectively changing the subject before Blaine had a chance to ask what they were all "like-minded" about.

"So tell me about Sam." Mercedes said as got up from the table and tossed the chopped potatoes into a frying pan.

"Does he have a girl back home?"

"No, not really."

"Does he have lots of girls back home?"

"Sam is a good guy." Blaine said avoiding the question. "He had a long time girlfriend, but when they broke up he found he liked playing the field."

"Playing the field?"

"Dating around?" Blaine said and when Mercedes still looked confused he tried again.

"Yes, he goes out with a lot of girls."

"Oh. Well, I could have guessed that the way he has been flirting with both me and Quinn. Thats okay." She smiled brightly "Hes fun and easy on the eyes, I dont mind competing with Quinn while Sam is here. Quinn doesnt have a chance." She looked up at Blaine with a wink.

"I certainly wouldnt want to be up against you."

"You wouldnt have a chance either." She laughed.

Sam came down a little later looking sleep rumpled, but happy. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were already out for the day so breakfast was a much lighter affair than the previous meals with the Jones had been. Mercedes had the boys help her clean up and then asked them to run a few errands with her.

"I need to get a bunch of stuff for the performance the children are putting on tomorrow evening for the festival. You two." She pointed. "Can carry my things." She flashed them a bright smile and they agreed to help.

Blaine enjoyed spending time with Mercedes and helping her find the things she needed for the childrens play. He couldnt help keeping an eye out for Kurt though, hoping he run into him somewhere in town. He also noticed that the people of Folaigh hadnt stopped giving them funny looks; he was getting better at ignoring it though.

They passed a little restaurant while shopping, it had a porch where you could eat in the nice weather and if the smell wafting out the doors was any indication the food was delicious. Blaine was struck by the sudden desire to take Kurt here. Though Kurt had undoubtedly been to the restaurant before it would be a chance to spend more time with him, it could be… a date, if Kurt wanted it to be. Blaine smiled in excitement.

They were heading to the school to drop off their supplies and Mercedes was asking if they like to help her finish painting some of the backdrops. Sam readily agreed but Blaine excused himself.

"Fine fine." She said with a wave of her hand. "Go find your boy."

Blaine smiled in gratitude and hurried out. He checked Kurts flowers cart first since it was nearby, but the tarp was over it and Kurt wasnt around. He followed the road down to Kurts house and stood outside for a moment before getting up the nerve to knock on the smooth wooden door, a little nervous about what hed say if Mr. Hummel answered. No one answered, so he went around to the side of the house but couldnt see anyone out in the garden either.

He let out a sigh feeling silly at how disappointed he was to not find Kurt and he started to walk back to the square, hoping he could at least enjoy some people watching, and wait for Kurt to show up at his cart. His heart started to pick up speed and his skin started to tingle a little, he slowed his steps and shivered not knowing what was going on. He looked down at his tingling hands when someone broke him from his thoughts by running smack into him.

There was an "oof" and a thud and Blaine looked down to see he had knocked Kurt right off of his feet.

"Kurt!" Blaine knelt down to help him. "Im so sorry I didnt see you, I wasnt paying attention." He held out a hand for Kurt, but Kurt just looked at it for a moment and then got to his feet on his own.

"I wasnt paying attention either." Kurt said. "Its alright."

"Are you okay?" Blaine asked standing as Kurt brushed off his clothes.

"I am." Kurt dusted off his pants and didnt meet Blaines eyes

"I was looking for you actually. Do you… need help with your flower cart or anything today?"

"No. Thank you." Kurt said glancing at Blaine briefly before looking away again.

"Um… well then." He took a deep breath excited about his idea. "Would you maybe like to get lunch with me? We could go to that little restaurant in the square. I passed it earlier and it smelled delicious and I thought we-"

"No." Kurt said firmly finally looking up at him. "I mean… you probably shouldnt go there."

Blaine bunched his eyebrows together looking at Kurt and trying to read his strange mood. Kurt brushed hair from his forehead and looked past Blaine instead of looking at him.

"Is the restaurant not any good?" Blaine asked trying to draw Kurt out.

Kurt chewed on his lip a little before sighing. "The Figgins family owns The Béile and Mr. Figgins is very… he doesnt…" Kurt looked at him briefly. "He doesnt like outsiders. I mean it is more than that, he really doesnt like them and… Youd probably scare him. He uh, might chase you out with a crucifix or something."

"Oh." Something tight turned in Blaines stomach at the thought of someone, even a stranger, being that adverse to his presence. "Oh." Blaine repeated not really knowing what else to say and wondering if it was just his status as out outsider that this Mr. Figgins would disapprove of or if there was something else going on.

"He and his wife are good people but…"

"Thats okay. We could…" Blaine was racking his brain for ideas to keep Kurt from unexplainably pulling away. "We could go to lunch in town!" Blaine said struck by inspiration and remembering a little diner near the hotel hed been staying in.

"In town?" Kurt said tilting his head in confusion. "There isnt anywhere else really."

"No. Not in Folaigh." Blaine explained. "I saw this place I wanted to try and we could go together maybe? I have money left from my brother, and…" Blaine stopped talking as he watched Kurts face. It had gone from confused to terrified in a matter of moments, the color draining from it and his eyes wide.

"No. No." Kurt said shaking his head. "I… I dont want to. Actually I think Im too busy today to really do anything with you." He said backing away towards his house. "Im sorry Blaine."

Blaine watched him go, his stomach dropping; hed done something wrong he just didnt understand what it was. Though he was beginning to worry that he did know what part of the problem was. He had assumed after Kurt had publicly danced with him that the people here didnt have a problem with him being gay… but maybe he had read that all wrong. Maybe all this talk of "outsiders" was a cover up for homophobia. Why else would Kurt look scared at the idea of going out with him?

"Um... Alright. Ill see you later then?" Blaine said hopefully.

"Yes, fine. Or... Actually I dont know. Sorry." Kurt said as turned and hurried through the gate and towards his house.

"Kurt!" Blaine called after him, but he was gone, Kurt had shut himself in his house like he was shielding himself from something dangerous.

"Damn it." Blaine said to himself wishing he could try that whole conversation again, he wouldnt mention lunch or going out of town. Yesterday had gone so well, spending the day together and having dinner with Kurts dad, but now Kurt didnt seem to want anything to do with him. It made him feel a little heart sick.

Blaine turned to leave, walking back towards the town square and feeling uneasy. He was almost at the square when he came across one of the last people he wanted to see right then. Dave, the large angry man from the evening before, stopped him in his tracks not letting him pass, just like he had at the dinner last night.

"Excuse me." Blaine said trying to move away from him, he didnt want to deal with this guy right now.

"Youre name is Blaine, right?" Daves voice was laced with anger and he moved to the side to block Blaine again as Blaine tried to get around him.

"Yes." Blaine looked around nervously to find they were all alone on this street, not a position he wanted to find himself in.

"Did you just come from Kurts house?" Dave spat stepping closer to Blaine and glancing back towards the direction Blaine had just come from.

Blaine clenched his jaw not liking the idea that a bully like Dave wanted to dictate whether or not he could see Kurt He avoided the question trying to stand as tall as he could but still only coming up to Daves shoulders.

"Listen I dont know what your problem with me is, but I dont want any trouble."

"Then. Leave. Kurt. Alone." Daves face was turning red and he punctuated each word like Blaine might not understand him otherwise.

"Im not doing anything to bother him." Blaine said his stomach tight, not wanting to back down, but not wanting to fight either.

Dave took another step towards Blaine and Blaine slowly backed up, but then Dave raised his hands pushing Blaines shoulders slightly, making him back up a few more steps. It wasnt an attack really; it seemed more like a warning of what was to come if Blaine made him angry.

"Whats your deal?" Blaine said trying to keep his voice calm; he didnt need to be a hotheaded in this situation Dave seemed to have that role covered.

"You shouldnt be here." Dave said leaning in, bringing his face too close to Blaines "You dont belong here. We dont want people like you here." He looked Blaine up and down. "Why dont you just leave?"

"What? Leave town?" Blaine asked incredulously.

"Yes." Dave sheathed through his teeth.

"I dont think you get a say in that." Blaine heart was pounding. He wasnt a stranger to confrontation, but it made his stomach squirm all the same.

Dave pushed him again and Blaine stumbled back almost losing his balance. As he regained his footing he noticed that Dave had balled his fist. Blaines heart clenched and he raise his hands placidly in the air, he knew how to fight but he remembered how upset Kurt had seemed the evening before when Blaine had been ready to land a punch if needed. He could get out of this without fighting; he just had to talk to this guy, calm him down. "Just let me by Dave."

Dave just huffed out a laugh, a smirk curling on his lips and he moved forward again. This was it, Dave was going to hit him, Blaine braced himself moving his hands up in front of his face as protection.

"Hello David!" Someone called nearby.

Blaine didnt get a chance to see how far Dave would have gone, as man and woman came down the street just in time. Dave backed away and straightened up from where hed been leaning over Blaine.

"Emma. Carl." Dave said nodding towards them his face pleasant with no trace of the menace it held only moments ago. The couple glanced briefly at Blaine and then back at Dave.

"Is everything alright David?" A redhead woman with round bambi eyes asked.

"I was just letting this… outsider know what his place is here in Folaigh." Dave smiled as if there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.

"Oh. Well… I dont know…" Emma glanced at the man with her. He was dark haired with tan skin, he smiled at Dave and Blaine, his grin dazzling.

"Dave, dont worry about it. It is taken care of."

"Taken care of? Did you see him dancing at the start of the Centennial with m… with Kurt?" Daves face was growing ugly again but the mans, Carls, smile didnt falter.

"Dave." He said calmly. "This isnt your concern. You should move along."

Blaine took a deep breath as Dave seemed indecisive.

"Fine!" He threw up his hands but turned to Blaine before leaving. "Ill see you again." Then he stomped down the road the direction Blaine had come.

Blaine watched him for a moment before turning to the couple. "Thank you. I appreciate your help."

The woman opened her mouth and then shut it again looking away. The mans smile faded. "Listen you seem… youre not what we…" He sighed. "Sorry about all that." The smile was back in place again. "But we are very traditional around here and not use to visitors."

"You mean outsiders?" Blaine asked hoping to get more information.

Carl didnt stop smiling but it seemed a little frozen in place. "Yes well. We pretty much keep to ourselves."

Emma cleared her throat to get their attention, but still didnt look up, her hands nervously smoothing down her pristine skirt. "We should be getting to the school house Carl."

"Of course dear." He linked arms with her and the tipped his hat to Blaine. "Do try to stay out of trouble." He said and they walked away.

Blaine was left bewildered. Stay out of trouble? He wasnt looking for trouble. He was just walking down the street. Blaine closed his eyes and rubbed his temple, the image of Dave punching him and this couple walking on as if nothing had happened filling his mind. But no, at least they had done something. Still the fear and hostility from some people in Folaigh was bewildering to him.

Cooper had once told him that, "Prejudice is just ignorance" and he had repeated that to others, but the truth was Blaine had paid the price for peoples ignorance before. And Daves words kept ringing in his ears. We dont want people like you here.

Blaine had heard those words too many times in his life and they always made him feel sick. Maybe he and Sam should be heading home. At that thought his heart plummeted, he didnt want to leave Kurt especially with how weird things were between them right now, but the fact remained they really couldnt stay much longer.

Kurt felt troubled all morning over the councils decision to let Blaine and Sam stay. He honestly felt neither of them were a risk, but what if he was wrong and something bad happened because of his interference with the council?He wouldnt admit it to himself, but he knew another worry was what would happen to him if he kept falling harder and harder for a man who in the end would have to leave Kurts life.

Kurt was a mess. He had never felt this way about someone before. He knew he preferred males over females when it came to romance, and he wasnt blind to the attractive men in his own town, a few of them had even made their interest in Kurt known. He had never reciprocated though; he had often worried that with such a small pool of men like him in town hed never find anyone... anyone that made him want to live a bigger life than hed known before, someone who made his knees weak and heart flutter and all the things that Blaine did to him.

He rolled his eyes at himself; he was taking this too seriously. He barely knew Blaine, there was no way his heart was already so invested in that kind, golden eyed, sweet voiced… He shook his head to stop that train of thought. This was just a passing infatuation that was all.

Except…

Except, his father had always told him it would hit him like lightning. "When I first met your mother there was a spark and I knew. I knew Id never feel for anyone what I felt for Elizabeth. Just wait Kurt, youll find your own lightning bolt."

Kurt clutched at his chest at the memory of his dads words. Not Blaine though, please not Blaine. Kurt closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the front door knowing hed just shut Blaine out on the other side and willing himself to not feel so despondent about it.

Kurt had bowed out of working the flowers cart that afternoon, even though Mercedes wasnt available to run it either. He just needed to avoid Blaine. He sat with Quinn that for the evenings festivities, she was prim and proper and well mannered, sitting rimrod straight with her hands folded in her lap, the way she only did when truly upset. She kept shooting side-long glances at Sam who was sitting with Mercedes watching the evenings performance of dancers.

"It isnt as though I care." She said to Kurt. "Mercedes asked him to join her before I did. He was just being a man of his word. You could tell he actually wanted to come with me." She shook her long blonde hair behind her shoulders. "I mean I should be the one with him because the council tasked me with keeping an eye on him. But otherwise I dont have any vested interest in it at all."

"Uh huh." Kurt said noncommittally trying to keep himself from stealing his own glances at Blaine who was sitting on the other side of Sam.

"He is just an outsider, here only temporarily. I really dont care who he spends time with."

Quinns tone was growing cold and that pulled Kurts attention from memorizing Blaines smiling profile as he sat enraptured by the group performing a traditional set dance.

"Quinn it is alright if you like Sam."

"I dont." She said quickly. "I just want on that council Kurt… I mean… Sams nice and attractive if you like that sort of thing…" She sighed. "But Kurt dont you think the older generation has run Folaigh long enough? It is time for a change."

Kurt gave her all of his attention at that, thinking about the council meeting hed listened in on. They had been so driven by fear instead of logic, it was a little disconcerting. "You know Quinn. I think youd be good for the council."

She glanced away from Sam and Mercedes to look Kurt in the face as if trying to read if he was joking or not.

"Really Quinn. I would trust your judgment."

Her face softened. "Thank you Kurt." She sighed. "At least your assignment isnt hard for you, no one is stealing Blaines time away from you and you obviously like him… why arent you sitting with him tonight?" She scrunched her brow as if she was just now realizing that Kurt was as far away from Blaine as he could get.

"I think I like him a little too much." Kurt said looking down, suddenly fascinated by his own knees, so he wouldnt have to see Quinns reaction to that statement.

"Ah."

Kurt looked up again when she didnt say anything else. "Is that all you have to say?"

She just shrugged. "Kurt Im not going to tell you that you should stay away from him if that is what you want to hear."

"You had no problem warning me off the other day."

"Thats because I hoped to keep you from falling for him… but if you already have…"

"I didnt say-"

"You said you trust my judgment right?" She interrupted him.

"Well yes… but…"

"Then I think you should spend time with Blaine. Not just because Sue said too, but because…" Kurt watched as her eyes grew a little sad. "Our lives here, theyre good, I would never complain. We are safe and loved and… and surrounded by good people, but you have to admit our lives are limited.

I came to the realization at a young age that my dreams could only go so far, our options are restricted here. I hope to be head of the council someday because that is the biggest dream I could come up with for my life in Folaigh." She sighed. "So spending time with an outsider, it could be a once in a lifetime adventure, and maybe youll have some heartache from it, but isnt that better than never feeling anything at all?" Quinns voice had grown a little scratchy like she was holding back tears.

She cleared her throat and smiled. "Chase adventure while you can Kurt." And with that she turned back to the performance as if it was the best thing shed ever seen and with an expression that let Kurt know she was done with the conversation.

Kurt sat stunned for a moment, he had never heard Quinn talk about Folaigh like that, but she was right. It was a worry he carried as well, but didnt allow himself to focus too much on, how small their lives felt sometimes. He glanced back over at Blaine and his heart swelled, Blaine could stay all month until the end of the Centennial, and Kurt wanted him too. Kurt blew out a long breath, this could hurt so badly. Blaine was grinning broadly obviously enjoying himself, his posture relaxed and his eyes dancing. Kurt smiled hopefully, Blaine could also be so very worth the pain.