Blaine stuffed his hands in his pockets as he looked up at the neon sign proclaiming in a glowing purple, "Psychic Readings Here" and at another sign lit in red which let the passersby know that they were open for business. Blaine sighed and rubbed his head, this little shop in the middle of a rundown plaza looked just like any other dime-a-dozen psychic storefront. Blaine had traveled over 3,000 miles and crossed the Atlantic to get here though.

He entered the building, the door chiming behind him, and stood a moment letting his eyes adjust to the light. It was darker in here than outside, the windows covered in thick curtains and the room mostly lit with candles and dim lamps. This was just the waiting room and already the proprietor was trying to convey a sense of eeriness and the unknown. Blaine spared a brief glance for the elderly man and young woman sitting in the room waiting before he started walking to the door that separated the lobby from where the fortune teller spun her tales.

The walkway was draped with a beaded curtain, it really couldnt get more cliché. Before Blaine could march through, a middle aged woman wearing a scarf to tie down her messy curls walked out from the back room and immediately put her hand on Blaines chest, stopping him in place.

"You have to wait your turn," she said in an obviously fake and indistinguishable accent as she glanced at the people waiting behind him. "I have time to see you all but only when it is your turn."

"Thank you," the girl said from behind Blaines shoulder; she sounded annoyed that Blaine thought he could cut in front of her.

"Im not here to see you," Blaine huffed, his hands still in his pockets, and his eyes narrowed. "What could you possibly tell me?"

The womans face tightened in anger before she lifted her brow in understanding. "Shes in the back."

Blaine nodded curtly and walked past the woman, through the ridiculous beads into an even darker room with a table and a crystal ball. Blaine rolled his eyes and continued on, opening a door in the corner of the darkened room and entering a bright, sunny little kitchen.

This room was obviously off-limits to customers, and there were no candles, or heavy drapes, or anything to make you think of mystery or other-worldly-realms. It was just a simple, small, clean kitchen that smelled of lemon disinfectant and tea. A young woman, looking to be in her early twenties, sat at the table in the middle of the room with a cup of tea in front of her and another cup set at the empty chair across the table.

She looked up at Blaine, pushing a strand of jet-black hair behind her ear, her dark skin was smooth and her eyes flashed a smile and looked very much like the eyes of the older woman whod let him in.

"Have a seat love. I made you tea," she said in a thick accent, mostly London, but with a little of the Welsh sing-song lilt to it that reminded Blaine of his childhood. Blaine sat down and looked at the teacup, steam still rising from it as if itd just been poured.

"Are you going to read my tea leaves?" He said with a smirk.

"I could." The girl answered taking a sip. "But I think you are here to have me read your dreams."

Blaine nodded, his heart picking up speed; he wanted to talk to her about his vision, thats why hed come all the way to Islington, but now that he was here he felt nervous to find out the truth. "I apologize that I didnt tell you I was coming, it was a spur of the moment trip, but it seems you didnt need notice."

"Im surprised I didnt see you coming sooner. I only realized it this morning and told my granddaughter that I should be expecting you."

Blaine turned towards the room hed just come through. "Shes your granddaughter?"

The girl laughed, her voice filling the room, but it sounded cold and made Blaines spine tingle. "Yes, but we tell everyone Im her daughter, it makes more sense for the feeble minded that way."

Blaine shook his head, "I dont know why Im surprised, you use a gaudy psychic business as a front for your real abilities; very little here is as it seems. Im also surprised you so willingly let me in. I expected some resistance."

"I couldnt stop you from seeing me if that was what you decided on and Im not afraid of you." The girl looked at him steadily as if to prove her point, but her mouth twitched a little giving away her nerves. "Besides, I expect to be paid handsomely for this."

Blaine nodded and withdrew a small embossed metal case from his coat pocket, opening it and sliding it across the table. Inside was a pearl and diamond bracelet carefully nestled in the blue velvet of the case.

"Oh this is an antique," she said, withdrawing the bracelet and letting the delicate jewels hang from her fingers. "Id say almost as old as you?" She arched a brow.

"Older. It was my mothers." Blaine had been holding on to this keepsake his entire life, but he knew the soothsayer wouldnt take just any payment. It had to be expensive and it had to be of a personal nature.

"Well then, drink your tea and tell me about your vision," she said, slipping the bracelet on her delicate wrist.

Blaine tore his eyes away from the bracelet and did as he was told; he told her about Felix and the heartstone remains and how the ritual seemed to be going well, but instead of giving him answers all he was left with was a vision of a man he hardly knew. Blaine unconsciously reached for his phone as he told her about his vision of Kurt.

It had been a week since Blaine had seen Kurt. Since hed found out Kurt had a boyfriend and then promptly had a vision of Kurt that dashed his hopes of actually learning something through his ritual. He hadnt seen Kurt in a week, but Kurt had been texting him. Not obsessively, but now and again. He sent him a picture of a pigeon trying to carry a loaf of bread almost the size of its body that Kurt had seen on a walk and thought was funny. He texted him a picture of Blaines dark roast with cinnamon one day with the message, Your coffee is waiting for you if you ever decide to show up again. Hed texted him two pictures of outfits hanging on a mannequin and asked him which one he thought Kurt should wear to the Broadway Ball.

Blaine hadnt texted back.

He didnt understand his strange feelings towards Kurt. Kurt made him feel both happy and safe and somehow extremely apprehensive at the same time. People like Kurt werent meant to be in Blaines life, he had no space for them. Of course he didnt tell the soothsayer all of this while his fingers smoothed over his phone and he wondered when Kurt would eventually give up on him and stop texting. The idea made his heart sink a little… he didnt want Kurt to give up on him.

When Blaine had finished describing his vision and how utterly unhelpful it was, the woman across from him put her teacup down on the table top and looked at him for a long, full moment.

"Do you know who the heartstone that you drank belonged to?"

Blaine sucked in a quick breath, that wasnt what hed been expecting her to ask. "No. Do you?"

"No, but it wasnt your brothers if thats what youre worried about."

Blaine clenched his jaw to hide his relief. "I dont actually care who the heartstone belonged to. Whoever they were, theyre dead now and none of my concern."

"Thats a lie. It bothers you. You dont like that you dont know who it was or how they died. You hate the thought of them suffering even though you dont even know them. You arent like the rest of us, you still care." Her pleasant expression broke for a second on the last word, she snarled it out like the idea of someone caring about another was abhorrent to her.

Blaine swallowed the lump in his throat at the truth of her words, he did care and it was a heavy burden to carry. "This isnt why I came."

"Do you want to know about your brother? Hes still alive."

Blaines hands tightened so fiercely around the teacup he was holding, he was surprised he didnt break the porcelain. He set it down and had to force himself to take several long calming breaths before he trusted himself to speak. Cooper was alive – after all this time of not knowing… He cleared his throat. "This isnt the information Im paying you for."

The young woman leaned forward, her dark hair swinging at the side of her face like a heavy curtain. "Well then I could tell you about the darkness that lurks at your back, the shadow that chases you even across continents. I almost didnt let you in today knowing how close it is to slashing its claws through your skin."

It was Blaines turn to lean forward intimidatingly now, she was trying to scare him and it wouldnt work. "You said yourself you couldnt stop me if I really wanted to see you, so dont pretend you took this meeting out of the goodness of your heart. We both know you dont even have one. And stop trying to distract me with answers I didnt ask for. Do you know anything about my vision or not?" Blaines voice was deep, steady and deadly as it came out; nothing he said was a threat, but still the warning lingered in the air between them. He watched the soothsayer wet her lips nervously and then lean back in her chair.

"It isnt a coincidence you had a vision of this boy youre obsessed with."

"Im not obsessed-"

"You didnt dream of him because you were distracted from the message of the ritual, he is the message of the ritual."

"No." Blaines heart thudded heavily, that couldnt be true.

"He is, whether you like it or not. He is indisputably linked to you finding what you search for. He is the key to it."

Blaine could feel his hands start to shake so he kept them in his lap where she couldnt see them. "He doesnt have it…"

"No, he doesnt have what you are looking for, but you can only find it through him."

"And does he know what I am? Is he part of all of this?" Blaines mouth felt dry, "Has he only been pretending to be… to be…"

"Normal?"

Blaine glanced up from where his gaze had landed on his empty teacup to look into the soothsayers dark eyes, he nodded slightly not trusting his voice.

"He has no idea what you are or that he is tangled in a chaos far beyond his understanding."

"I dont want him part of this, its dangerous."

"Youre dangerous."

Blaine sighed heavily. "I should have never spoken to him, never gotten him involved."

"He was involved long before he met you," the soothsayer said and her face had settled into a deceivingly kind smile. "You did not draw him into this, he has been fated for his path his entire life. As you both have."

Blaine folded his arms over his chest and looked out the kitchen window to the sunny day outside. Cold, but bright and strangely dry for England this time of year.

"You have other questions for me," the soothsayer said, trying to draw Blaine out of his thoughts.

"How do I keep him safe?" Blaine asked, surprising himself. He had many questions and he knew shed only answer a few more, but his heart felt constricted in his chest. He didnt care that she said Kurt was involved in all of this danger before he even met Blaine, he felt responsible for Kurts safety. He didnt like it, this pull towards another person, it didnt suit him and the life hed formed for himself. Still, he couldnt help the painful tug in his chest when he thought of Kurt, innocent and sweet, in danger.

"You have to find your heartstone," she answered simply.

"Oh, you mean the one Ive been looking for for decades? The one that I thought the ritual would help me find? That heartstone?" Blaine rolled his eyes, his arms still crossed. "Thank you for such useful advice."

"He will lead you to your heartstone. It isnt safe, nothing is safe for you, you know this; but he is safer with you than without you."

Blaine rubbed his eyes tiredly. "How could Kurt lead me to my heartstone? I dont understand, there has to be a way to keep him out of it. If I just dont see him again… Or… Or if I leave New York permanently..."

"Youre running out of time love."

"I know."

"If you leave, he will still be caught in the middle and there is no way to save yourself without him. And we all know you saving yourself has always been your top priority."

Blaine wanted to deny that, but he knew he couldnt so he remained quiet. He wondered, though, what he would do if it came down to it—if hed put Kurts safety above his own. It was a nice thought, him sacrificing himself for someone elses wellbeing. Heroic. Eloquent. False.

"The shadow that lurks behind your shoulder is closer now than it has ever been." The soothsayer continued, her voice a deep hum and Blaine felt a cold chill run down his body; he knew it was getting close, closer and closer the past decade or so. So close Blaine could almost feel it sometimes, he really was running out of time.

"If the darkness finds your stone before you do…" The soothsayer caught his eye to communicate the absolute truth in her words. "Well, then there is nothing in heaven or earth or beneath the earth that will be able to save you."

Kurt glanced down at his phone as it buzzed with a text message; his heart lifted hoping it was from Blaine but then sunk down again when he saw the message from Mercedes.

Kuuuuuurt! I am so sorry I cant go to the ball with you but I cant reschedule my recording session after all.

Kurt sighed, disappointed again. Since he broke up with Aaron, and Blaine was completely MIA, hed asked Mercedes to go to the Broadway Ball with him. She had tried to change her schedule to make it happen, but apparently that hadnt worked out.

Thats alright. It could be fun to go stag! Kurt texted back, hoping his text conveyed more excitement than he felt. He was walking the halls of NYADA, going from one class to another and texting Mercedes, when someone ran hard into his shoulder. He looked up and his stomach dropped. "Oh, hi Aaron."

Kurt had stayed clear of Aaron for the past week; breaking up with someone and then still having to see them almost every day at school was less than ideal. Especially when Aaron sent Kurt dirty looks as often as possible and was constantly talking about him behind his back.

Several of Kurts friends at school had let him know that Aaron was spreading hurtful rumors about him.

"He said he broke up with you because you are terrible in bed."
"He is telling everyone that all you do is talk smack about everyone else in your classes."

"Aaron told me that you said you were too good for NYADA and couldnt wait to get away from all the incompetent people here."

"He said you will jump anything that moves."

Of course some of Kurts "friends" told him about Aaron saying these things just because they loved the drama of it all, but most of his real friends had Kurts back and didnt believe the rumors. Still, it hurt that Aaron was saying these things and knowing that some people would undoubtedly believe him. Especially since Kurt was going to the Broadway Ball and people were already a little jealous of that. Overall, it was making Kurts last semester at NYADA less than enjoyable.

"Hello Hummel," Aaron said, rubbing his shoulder as if Kurt had purposefully hit him.

Kurt smiled at him. "Sorry, I was texting and didnt see you there."

"Sure, you probably think the whole hallway is yours anyway."

Kurt sighed and bit his tongue from saying something he would regret. He didnt want to fight with Aaron like he was some bitter ex. They had hardly gone out for any length of time at all and he didnt understand why Aaron was being this way. "Um... well sorry." Kurt repeated and continued walking.

"So have you fucked that guy from the coffee shop yet?" Aaron called after him and Kurt spun around in surprise.

"Excuse me?"

"Or were you sleeping with him even while we were together?"

Kurt could feel his face heat up; he regretted that he hadnt been more open with both Aaron and Blaine earlier on, but he hadnt cheated on anyone. "Blaine and I are just friends."

"Sure you are."

"I havent even seen him since we broke up!" Kurt said throwing his arms out in frustration, and god, he immediately wished he hadnt said that. Why give Aaron more to throw back at him?

"Oh really? Did he find out how impossible it is to get into your holier-than-thou pants?"

Kurt rolled his eyes, hed had enough of this, "Okay what story are you going to stick with here Aaron? Am I a slut or a prude? You cant have it both ways."

Aaron glowered at him and Kurt noticed his eyes looked bloodshot and there were dark bags under them. He didnt look well. Aarons fist started to shake like he was so consumed with anger he couldnt contain it; he took a step forward and Kurt took a step back. He hadnt felt this cornered since being bullied by jocks back in high school.

"Youll get whats coming to you." Aaron spat, standing so close Kurt could feel his angry breath on his face. "Just you wait."

Kurt clutched the strap of his book bag as Aaron finally eased off, turned around and walked away without another word. Kurt let out the breath he was holding feeling a little shaken and hurried towards his next class. Stopping once hed turned into a new hallway to lean against the wall in relief, he glanced down at the phone still in his hand from earlier.

He was going to text Mercedes about what just happened but then decided against it, he didnt want to worry her. Instead he started a text to Blaine – even though Blaine had never yet texted him back.

I dont know if you still have this phone, or if you are tired of hearing from me, but I wish youd text back. I know you said we were just people who got coffee together, but it was more than that to me. I miss seeing you.

Kurt fought with himself for a moment, but hed probably already lost all contact with Blaine, what could being honest hurt now? He hit send, stuffed his phone in his bag and didnt wait for a return text.

Kurt went the rest of the day without looking at his phone. He picked up dinner on his way home from a little Thai place near his apartment and settled down on his couch, sitting cross legged with a container of pad thai before he finally pulled his phone back out to call his dad. Whenever he was feeling down, he called his dad, even if he didnt feel like he should tell him all the details of what was going on, his dad still always made him feel better.

Instead he was surprised to see four text messages from an unknown number.

Kurt read this first one. Sorry Ive been out of the country. This is my new number. B.

Kurt smiled and sat his food down and scrolled to the next message.

I should have texted you back much sooner. Sorry.

And Im sorry I ever said we were just people who got coffee. I didnt mean that. And I just realized I said sorry too much in all of these texts, or maybe not enough, Im not sure.

Kurts smile was hurting his face by the time he read the last message.

In any case… I miss you too.

Kurt couldnt help but laugh out loud a little; he was so happy to hear from Blaine. He almost hit the call button but decided to take this slow. Blaine was too easy to spook.

So you were out of the country? Meaning youre back now? And please dont think you have anything to say sorry about I should be apologizing to you. I should have told you about Aaron, who Im not seeing any more by the way.

Kurt waited for a few minutes before his phone buzzed again.

Lets just say we are both sorry and move on. Im not back in town yet, but I will be soon. I was thinking when I am, instead of coffee we should have dinner?

Kurts mouth dropped open and he was embarrassed by the squeal that came out. At least he was alone. Kurt lay back on the sofa, forgetting all about dinner. He smiled at the little question mark in Blaines text; did he really think Kurt would say no? He texted Blaine back in the affirmative, of course hed love to have dinner with him.

Blaine never really said exactly when hed be back in New York, but over the next several days, Blaine kept up a steady stream of text messages with him. Even sending a picture of himself with a pigeon that landed on his shoulder. Blaine looked less than amused while the pigeon looked completely at home. I think I liked your pigeon with the bread more.

This, of course, started a string of pigeon texts, as there was no shortage of them in New York, or seemingly in London where Blaine was. Every time Kurts phone chimed with another text from Blaine, whether it was silly or funny or sweet, Kurt felt his whole face light up in a smile. He didnt care as much about the stress of school, or Aarons hateful glances, or the fact that he was going unaccompanied to the ball. Blaine hadnt disappeared from his life! And though they didnt see each other every day like they had been, they were talking more than ever now, even if it was all over text messages.

Blaine even helped him pick out his tux for the Broadway Ball and Kurt had almost asked him if hed be back in town in time for it, but decided against it. Blaine was away on business and he wasnt going to hurry home just to go to some party with Kurt. Still, going alone didnt seem that bad anymore, not with the promise of dinner with Blaine when he got back to New York to keep him going.

Kurt was getting ready for school one morning a few days after Blaines first text and smiling down at his screen. What time is it there? Kurt asked even though hed already done the math.

Lunch time. Blaine texted back. I found a great café with coffee I think youd approve of.

Coffee not tea? You are in England.

Not for much longer I should be heading back to New York in a couple of days.

Kurt bit his lip and squeezed his phone, I cant wait.