Kurt was up before the sun on Saturday morning. He couldnt sleep a moment longer. Today was the day he would meet Cooper Anderson, the man he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

An excited, nervous shudder ran down his body. What would Cooper be like? Would they have anything in common? Would he think Kurt was just a kid? What if he wasnt attracted to Kurt at all? What if they didnt like each other?

Kurt stood in front of his full length mirror and took a few long deep breaths, counting them out as he went.

"1, 2, 3, 4, 5" In.

"5, 4, 3, 2, 1," Out

Kurt knew himself well enough to know that if he wasnt careful he would work himself up into an anxiety attack and that wasnt how he wanted this day to go.

Once he had calmed down he walked to the chair where hed laid out his outfit for the day. He bought new clothes just for the occasion, but now that he stood there looking at them they felt all wrong. He went to his closet and started rummaging through his options. Much of his wardrobe was already packed up and ready to go so he had to choose from what was left in his closet.

At about 6:30am there was a knock on his door and his dad poked his head in. "Hey bud, hows it going in here?"

Kurt was wearing a pair of bright blue pants and a green shirt that didnt go together at all and grasping up a couple of shirts still on the hanger taking turns holding them up in front of himself.

"What do you think?" He asked his dad switching back and forth between the two shirts.

"I thought you went shopping for something."

"I did." Kurt said tossing the shirts down on his bed, "Im wearing my new pants, I just cant get the shirt right." He looked up at his dad nervously. "I have to get this right."

Burt slipped into the room and looked down at the neat piles of clothes on Kurts bed. "He isnt going to like you for what you were Kurt."

Kurt clenched his jaw and grabbed another shirt turning to look at it in the mirror "I know dad, but I only get this one chance to make a first impression."

His dad nodded and picked up a dark charcoal vest from a pile on the bed. "I always liked this." He said.

Kurt turned to him and lifted an eyebrow, "Did you just pick something out randomly to say you like it?"

"I pay attention Kurt, I know this stuff is important to you." Burt answered. "You wore this vest to your friend Quinns going away party. You looked good, grown up."

Kurt stared at his dad in surprise and then down at the vest. It was a good choice, but wouldnt go with these pants. He reached out and took it from his dads hand. "Thanks dad, really. You know how crazy I get."

"Not crazy just… passionate." His dad said with a smile.

Kurt smiled back, ignoring the nerves drumming through him.

"This is it then, huh Kurt?" His dad said stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking a little misty eyed. 

"Youll be heading off to Westerville, somebodys husband." Burt swiped his eyes quickly with the sleeve of his shirt and Kurts heart got stuck in his throat.

They had spoken with the Lifemate Center and had been informed that Kurt would be going to live with Cooper, seeing as Cooper had his own place and Kurt didnt. Kurt had secretly been wishing that Cooper could come here, but he knew that wasnt practical.

"Dad." Kurt said putting down the clothes and giving his dad a big hug. "It isnt that far, were lucky, it could have been much further away." He squeezed him a little tighter as his dad hugged him back. "It will be okay, you arent going to lose me. I need my dad too much to let that happen."

They pulled back a little and Burt chuckled. "Youre a grown up now Kurt."

"Doesnt mean I dont still need my dad."

Burt chuckled. "How do you feel?"

"Excited? Terrified?" Kurt answered. "A little of everything."

Burt nodded and placed a hand on Kurts shoulder. "Just be yourself Kurt." Burt shrugged and looked back at the piles of clothes on Kurts bed. "Ill leave you too it." He walked to the door, "Let me know if you need anything."

Almost an hour latter Kurt came downstairs wearing black wingtip oxfords, tight dark slacks, a black yellow and blue chequered shirt and the charcoal vest his dad had picked out. He finished it off with a bottlecap brooch hed fallen in love with at a flea market. He swooped his hair up in his best pompadour and looked ready to conquer the world.

"Kurt!" Carol said as he entered the kitchen. "You look amazing."

Kurt smiled as he sat down at the table and Carol brought him breakfast.

"Thanks. Sorry I didnt help with breakfast this morning, I meant too."

"No one blames you for that." Carol said. "Its a big day."

Finn was already digging into his pancakes and his dad was sipping some decaf coffee while he ate his fruit and granola, hed been really good about eating healthy since his heart attack over a year ago.

"You do look very handsome son." He dad said and Kurt couldnt help but feel a little like crying. He was happy, but his life was about to change dramatically, hed never not lived with his dad, he couldnt imagine what it was going to be like. And now he was leaving, not to go to New York, but to move in with a stranger.

Kurt tried to eat breakfast, but had too many butterflies in his stomach. In the end he ate some toast and noticed that Carol gave his dad some snacks before they left.

"Sometimes the wait at the LMC is long, I dont want you getting hungry on top of everything else going on today."

They had decided that just Burt and Kurt would go, not because Kurt didnt want Carol and Finn around but the Lifemate Center didnt like you to bring crowds of people and Kurt was worried that too many people waiting and watching with him would be more than he could handle anyway.

So with a hug for both Carol and Finn he and his dad set out for Westerville.

An hour and a half later they pulled up to the LMC in Westerville, Ohio. They were a bit early, but Kurt knew his dad had planned it that way so Kurt wouldnt fret about being late. They entered a building that was set up a lot like a doctors office; a main waiting lobby, a receptionist behind a counter and then the rest of the building behind closed doors.

There were already some people here in the waiting area and Kurt couldnt help but look around and wonder if one of them was Cooper Anderson.

"Name and LM number." The receptionist said passing Kurt a clip board. "Kurt Hummel. HK7J875." Kurt answered as the receptionist signed him in.

"Please fill out the forms and take a seat, well call you when were ready for you."

Kurt nodded and followed his dad to a set of chairs. He was beginning to feel a little dizzy and his throat was tight. He sat down and started answering the questions. Hed already gone in for a physical at his Doctors the day before. The Lottery always made sure you were healthy before you were paired, but there was still some medical questions and general inquiries about what you hoped for from your first year of marriage and how the Lottery could help.

Kurt filled out his paper slowly, distracted by looking around at the other people in the room. There was one guy in the corner who could have been Cooper. He looked the right age, he was tall, slim and dark skinned. He looked nervous and fidgety. Kurt could understand that.

He had just about convinced himself that he had to be Cooper, since no one else there seemed to be a 20-something year old male, when the little bell above the entrance chimed and someone new walked in.

Kurt about dropped his pen. It was a young man with dark wavy hair. He was trim and compact, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore light gray slacks, a well fitted white polo that showed off his really nice arms and an argyle blue and gray sweater vest.

He was gorgeous. The newcomer looked around the waiting room anxiously his eyes flitting over Kurt before he went to the front desk. Kurt couldnt hear what the young man said but soon he was sitting down nearby and filling out paperwork as his knee bounced up and down nervously.

His dad caught Kurts line of sight and then turned and looked at him.

"Maybe." Burt said under his breath knowing what Kurt was thinking.

The guy finished the paperwork really fast and then looked up, he made eye contact with Kurt for a moment and Kurt blinked slowly at his expressive golden eyes. He really hoped this was Cooper Anderson, even if he looked a little young to be 29, some people looked young for their age.

Then the bell chimed again and Kurt watched as a tall, classically handsome man walked in. He too had dark wavy hair and expressive eyes though his were a piercing blue and he was much taller than the other young man. He wore a white button-up shirt and a black suit that was obviously expensive and tailored just for him. He finished the look off with a long thin blue tie that matched his eyes.

Kurt had to remind himself to keep breathing.

He sat next to the first guy who passed him the paperwork. "I filled out as much as I could," He said and the tall one nodded taking the paperwork and looking everything over. If the first young man seemed nervous this poor guy looked like he might be sick. He couldnt sit still and after he finished and turned in his paperwork he kept getting up and pacing the room, glancing at Kurt every few minutes. There wasnt really anyone else there who looked about Kurts age.

Finally after what seemed like hours, but was only about 20 minutes Kurts name was called.

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel and Cooper Andrew Anderson."

Kurt stood and rubbed his hands against his pants, they were feeling a little clammy. The two men Kurt had his eyes on went towards the front as well. From behind the closed door came a Lottery pairing counselor. She didnt look more than 25, had curly red hair and a peppy smile.

"Hi! Im Gina." She said and looked down at her clipboard. "Kurt?"

"Thats me." Kurt said and held out his hand, she shook it and turned to the other men. "And that means Cooper…"

The tall man with the blue eyes put on a devilishly charming smile, but not for Gina, he looked straight at Kurt. "Im Cooper Anderson" He said and sent Kurt a little wink that made Kurt blush to his roots. Then he turned to Gina and shook her hand.

Gina looked past them at Burt and the other guy, the one that who was with Cooper. "Im going to have to ask friends and family to wait out here a little longer, we like to have the Lifemates have a couple minutes alone."

Burt nodded and clapped Kurt on the back, looking like he wouldnt be able to speak unless he wanted to cry.

The guy with Cooper bounced on his toes nervously. "See you in a little bit Coop." He said.

Cooper raised a hand and messed up the guys hair. "See you soon Squirt."

Brother. If Kurt had to guess that was his younger brother.

They followed Gina back behind the door as she talked a mile a minute, Kurt didnt hear most of it, he kept stealing glances at Cooper trying not to blush too much, but Cooper was really attractive. Gina led them to a private room with a couple of couches, a mini fringe and a coffee table.

She tapped her finger on the wall next to what looked like a doorbell.

"Just buzz if you need anything." She said and handed them laminated little flip books. "Here are some conversation starters if you need them. And make sure you set a date okay?"

"A date?" Kurt asked dumbly.

"For your marriage?" She said, like she had probably already explained this in the hallway. "You have until the 10th of next month if you want to plan something, or we can have a qualified Lifemate counselor do it for you today before you leave if you want. Just let me know." She smiled at them and then left the room shutting the door behind her.

Suddenly Kurt felt trapped, he looked at the wooden door and wanted to wrench it open and make a run for it. He was not ready for this. His breathing started to speed up and he felt a little dizzy.

"Hey." A voice broke him momentarily out of his panic. Cooper had grabbed a couple of waters from the mini fridge and was now nudging Kurts shoulder with one of them. "Take a deep breath Kurt." He said. "And then drink some water."

Kurt nodded and took the bottle from his hand. He unscrewed to top and took a slip. Just having something to do with his hands helped him calm down some.

"Im Cooper." The tall gorgeous stranger said. Even though Kurt already knew that.

"Im Kurt." He grimaced a little at how high his voice sounded.

"Kurt Elizabeth Hummel." Cooper nodded.

"Elizabeth was my moms name."

"Hmmmm." Cooper hummed. "My moms name was Anne."

They stood there in silence for a moment before Cooper smiled and nodded his head towards one of the couches. "Wanna sit?" He said plopping down comfortably and patting the cushion next to him. 

Kurt tentatively sat down, but not to close.

"Im not going to bite." Cooper laughed. "Or yell. Or be mean. Or whatever it is youre afraid of right now kid."

Kurt had been staring down at his water bottle but his head snapped up at that. "Im not a kid. Im 19." He realized too late how young that statement made him sound.

"My little brothers 18." Cooper said conversationally. "Blaine. The cute as a button one out in the lobby?"

Kurt smiled. "Did you just call your brother cute as a button?"

"Hey, good looks run in the family." Cooper grinned making Kurt laugh a little.

He could feel the tension start to fade from his body. Cooper kept up the conversation well. He seemed cheerful and charismatic and he talked a lot with his hands. Kurt learned that hed be moving in with both Cooper and Blaine since they lived together. He discovered that Cooper was an actor and was very interested in Kurts dreams of performing; at least they had something in common.

They talked about mostly surface things; Cooper kept it light and before Kurt knew it an hour had passed. There was a knock on the door and Gina poked her head in.

"Hey you two, how are things going?"

"Good." Cooper answered and Kurt nodded relieved that things were going so well.

"Okay! Good! So do I need to schedule a wedding or do you just want to do it now?"

They hadnt really discussed that. Kurt wanted to wait, a month wasnt enough to plan a wedding, but luckily Kurt had been planning his for a while, knowing that when you were paired things moved fast. But Cooper spoke up before he did.

"Hell, lets just do it today. Get it over with." He turned to Kurt. "No reason to wait right? I mean who really wants a big wedding anyhow?"

Kurt opened his mouth and then closed it again swallowing. "Oh. Yeah. I mean… okay."

Cooper smiled and him and it seemed a little too happy. "Great." He sprung up from the couch. "I mean we both look amazing, we both have family here, so lets do this thing!"

"Get it over with?" Kurt said standing and echoing what Cooper had said.

"Exactly."

Gina smiled. "Super-duper! Follow me and well go get your family and a qualified Lifemate counselor and you two will leave married. That does always make things so easy."

Everything after that happened in a flurry of motion. Kurt introduced Cooper to his dad and met Coopers brother Blaine who kept smiling but looked sad every time Kurt caught him looking at Cooper. And then they were all swept up into a little courtyard outside and 20 minutes later Kurt was a married man.

The suddenness of it all left Kurt feeling dizzy and a little sick. This wasnt how hed always pictured things going. It didnt feel right. Soon he was standing in the parking lot as Cooper loaded the luggage Kurt had brought with him into the back of his car.

Burt pulled Kurt in for a tight hug. "You okay bud?"

"I will be. Im just a little… I think Im a little in shock."

His dad held Kurt out by the shoulders and looked him in the eye. Burt was crying and Kurt could feel his own tears start to fall.

"It will all be okay Kurt. Im just a phone call away and Cooper already invited us over for dinner on Monday and thats only two days away. So Ill see you then."

"What if I need to see you before that?"

Burt smiled. "Just a phone call away."

Kurt nodded and hugged him again before Cooper came up and shook Burts hand. "Pleasure to met you." He said and then Kurt was sitting in the front seat of Coopers car, Blaine in the back and Cooper at his side on his way to his new life.