Burt got out of the car and was met with the flashing of cameras and microphones held to his face as reporters all shouted questions at the same time. Burt readjusted his too-tight tie and pressed through the crowd, trying to reach the building where he worked. He ignored their questions. He'd answer questions once they all found out how things had gone with the bill.

"Congressman Hummel, is it true that the reason you support the so called ‘True Love Bill' is in the hopes of getting your son back?"

Burt stopped and looked at the woman asking the question. He wasnt planning on talking to the media right now, but this was a question he felt like addressing. Even if it was a subject he'd spoken on before

"I wont deny that my son Kurt was one of the motivations for helping with this bill. But it is more than wanting him to be able to come home one day. This is for everyone who is paired with a Lifemate that is wrong for them or dangerous for them or just not someone they can love. Kurt may have been my inspiration, but I truly believe the lives of people all over the country will be made better through this."

He started walking again even as the reporters kept asking questions. He finally got inside the state capitol, where they werent allowed to follow, and went up to his office.

"Good morning, Congressman," his aide greeted, as he settled in behind his desk, glancing at a picture of Kurt and Blaine laughing together on the sofa in his living room. It was taken the Christmas they had all spent together.

“How do you feel, sir?"

Burt looked up from the picture and smiled. "Today is the day and I feel good about it."

"How do I look?" Cooper asked, standing in front of his personal assistant. Hannah brushed her hands over his shoulders and stood back. "You look good, very... authoritative."

Cooper smiled. "Perfect."

"I dont understand why you are having the press conference though,” she said. “Congress is already in session, theyll be voting now, you arent going to influence them any more than you already have these past several months."

"Today isnt about congress, it's about everyone else. I really believe the bill will pass, but if it doesnt, I want people to know about it and to be upset. If it doesn't pass, people need to be outraged. I'm not a lawmaker, but people care about what I think.” He practiced his smile in the mirror. “Either we win this today or we bring it back up again until things change." He took a deep breath; he did look good, and authoritative.

“You're a good brother,” Hannah said with a smile.

Cooper smirked and winked at her. “I know.” He rubbed his hands together. “Okay, lets do this!"

Cooper walked to the press room of his talent agency and was met by applause. The timing was perfect, his latest movie had just hit theaters and was doing great, everyone wanted to hear from him, and what better topic than bringing down a regimented Lifemate system that just didnt work anymore with a bill to amend the power of the Lifemate Registry?

He stood in front of everyone and greeted them, "Today is going to be a great day for true love," he said with an award winning smile.

Blaine woke up and rolled over, wanting to wrap his arms around his husband, but instead, he was met with an empty bed.

"Kurt?" He called groggily as he sat up and looked around. He didn't have to wonder where Kurt had gone for long when he smelled coffee coming from downstairs. He wasn't surprised Kurt was up already, he probably wanted to check first thing what had happened with the bill that was voted on in congress yesterday. With the time difference, this was the earliest they would find anything out.

Blaine pulled on the slippers he kept by the bed and went  down to the kitchen. Kurt was wearing pajama pants and a snugly fitting tank-top; his hair quickly and messily arranged, one strand falling over his forehead. He looked beautiful.

Blaine walked up behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his face in Kurts neck humming against his skin.

"Good morning," Kurt said with a smile in his voice.

"Smells good," Blaine replied.

"The coffee?" Kurt asked.

"You smell good," Blaine said and kissed his neck. Kurt turned in his arms and clasped his hands around Blaines neck before kissing him sweetly. "But you do want some coffee, right?"

"Obviously."

Kurt grinned and then poured him a cup. "I was hoping youd make breakfast. Pancakes maybe? Your pancakes are so good."

Blaine took a sip of coffee and nodded, wondering if Kurt knew anything yet. "Of course I will," Blaine answered and started gathering the ingredients.  

Kurt leaned up against the counter as Blaine starting putting everything together. "You know what happened last night while we were asleep, right?"

Blaine cracked an egg into his mixing bowl and started to whisk the batter. "Of course I do." He looked up at Kurt, “Have you looked up the results yet?"

Kurt shook his head. "No, I thought we could eat and then do it together."

Blaine nodded and set the bowl down, walking to Kurt and putting his hands on his shoulders. "Are you nervous?"

Kurt was quiet for a minute before he spoke, tilting his head a little. "Actually, Im not. I mean, I am, but not as much as I thought I would be. Mostly I want the bill to pass for those still stuck with Lifemates they shouldn't be with and for those who may need it in the future, but as far as we go..." Kurt smiled and shrugged. "Were doing pretty good."

Blaines heart picked up speed behind his ribcage. They were doing more than good. They were safe, and happy, and together. And maybe they werent in New York or on Broadway, but life was still sweet, almost idyllic really.

When they had gotten off of the plane in Paris over a year ago, they were still both tense and scared from almost not making it out of the States, plus they had to go through customs in France and didnt know if their passports would be rejected, or what would happen to them. But they made it through easily. An hour later, they were standing on the streets of Paris hand in hand as Alex and Michael Armstrong-Bowers.

Blaine had been so relieved he was giddy; laughing so hard he started crying. After thinking that they would never have a real future together, here they were standing together as Lifemates. Blaine only calmed down when he noticed the total silence and stillness from Kurt who was looking around like he was in shock.

“Kurt? Baby?” Blaine said and lifted his hands to softly cup Kurt's neck; when Kurt's eyes met his, he leaned in to press a soft kiss to his lips. It took a second, but then Kurt was moving, slamming their bodies together and clinging desperately to the back of Blaine's shirt. They stood and kissed in front of anyone who cared to look. Free to belong to each other.

From there, they'd gotten a hotel room and stayed in Paris a few days, using it as a well needed vacation and to give them time to decide what to do from there. They found a cashier's check that Cooper must have slipped into Blaine's bag at some point; it was more than enough to really start a life together.

Eventually, they chose not to stay in Paris but ended up renting a lovely two story white-stone house in a town outside of Paris named Villennes, a lush green garden city near the Seine River where they were only an hour away from the attractions of Paris. Since performing seemed out of the question for two Canadians without stage experience, and who were new to France and probably shouldn't be recognized on a large scale, they both found new occupations.

Blaine was teaching English in a couple of local schools while Kurt started working for a tailor. They both knew they'd want to move to the city eventually if they were in France long enough, and maybe there  Kurt could get a job at a design house, he was talented enough. Or maybe if enough time passed, he'd pursue the stage again. Blaine surprised Kurt one day saying he might like to own a bookstore. For now though they were content with their happy quiet lives in Villennes.

They had been able to keep in touch with their families a little too. Burt ran for Congress like he said he would. It was Burt and some like-minded politicians who had resurrected the Lifemate bill that had been shot down months before. This time, with Coopers star status to help, they got publicity for the bill nicknamed “The True Love Bill” and it had gained an overwhelming amount of public support. It seemed people weren't as happy with the Lifemate Registry as they tried to act.

If the bill passed, it would allow Lifemates whose pairing didn't work, or who werent good for each other, to be unpaired. It also set up stricter rules for making sure people were paired according to their sexual preference. It wasnt the total dismantling of the Lifemate system that some wanted, but still it was huge.

After everything was cleaned up from breakfast, Kurt was finally ready to check and see what had happened with the bill back home. He pulled up a webpage and scrolled through until he found what he wanted. Blaine stood behind Kurt with his hand on his shoulder as Kurts eyes scanned the page.

"Oh my god," Kurt said, covering his mouth, and Blaine whooped when he saw the verdict.

"It passed!" Kurt jumped up and started bouncing up and down. "Blaine, it passed!"  

They celebrated by laughing and hugging and then falling down on the couch together. They both knew this didn't mean they could go home right away, they had still broken several laws, but the bill passing was a huge step in the right direction if they ever did want to move back.

Kurt wrapped his arms around Blaine. "We were part of that you know. Even stuck here in France, we are a part of history."

Blaine kissed him and smiled. "If we are ever able to go back home, do you think you want to?"

Kurt shrugged. "I don't know. I mean, now that the bill has passed, my dad and Carole and Cooper have time to visit, so well get to see our families again. And Rachel is planning on coming for a visit when she is done wrapping this season of her show. I guess.... France is starting to feel like home. It is the first place you and I got to be together publicly.” Kurt thought for a moment. “I guess I might want to go back to New York someday, but I'm in no hurry.”

Blaine smiled and sighed in contentment. He understood. As much as his heart loved New York, and he did miss Cooper, this was beginning to feel more like home; New York still seemed shrouded in secrecy and the fear of being caught. "In the end, I think anywhere Im with you will be home," Blaine said.

Kurt laughed. "God were cheesy."

Blaine smiled. "I think we should get even cheesier to annoy Cooper when he comes to visit."

Kurt nodded seriously. "And we should start making-out at random times to gross him out."

“We already make-out at random times,” Blaine said. “Remember when Monsieur Métivier from across the street walked up to us in the front yard and then just turned right back around?”

Kurt rolled his eyes and flushed at the memory. “We should still make sure to do it a lot when Cooper is here.”

"Mmmm, we should practice that," Blaine said and leaned in for a kiss. Kurt settled down on the couch, holding onto Blaine's waist as Blaine hovered over him. Blaine's hands went to Kurt's hair as their lips moved together.

“I love you so much,” Kurt said softly, his breath brushing against Blaine's skin.

Blaine kissed him deeper before whispering against his lips. “I love you too.”