He had barely found time to eat, let alone relax, so as he plopped down on his normally uncomfortable mattress, it felt like bliss. His roommate wasn't home. In fact, he probably wouldn’t come home for anything except maybe a clean shirt. It was probably for the best since Andrew couldn't have been any more different than Kurt.

But Kurt still wished that there was someone for him to come home to-that wasn't Rachel who came back with him Wednesdays and Thursdays for TV night. No, Kurt preferred someone who was a: male and b: adorable and c: who would welcome him with open arms ready to cuddle and just stare mindlessly at the tiny television in the room until they both fell asleep.

'That's a great fantasy,' Kurt thought followed by 'who is calling me at this hour?' as he felt his phone vibrate in the pocket of his jacket.

He pulled the device out and examined the display as it showed a number that Kurt didn't recognize. He hesitated to answer but accepted the call anyway, putting the phone to his ear as he brushed some stray hair from his forehead.

"Hello?" Kurt answered suspiciously.

"Kurt?" a familiar-yet long since heard-voice asked.

"Jeff?" Kurt replied.

"Uh, yeah." the former Warbler responded.

Kurt hadn't spoken to his former schoolmate since Kurt had graduated high school and left for New York, they'd been friends but lost touch minus a few Facebook comments in the last couple of years.

"How are you?" Kurt asked trying to avoid being rude and out right asking the boy why he was calling.

"Uh," the boy said softly, "I'm okay, but, uh, Kurt. I have to tell you something."

"Okay," Kurt said hoping to push the boy along.

"David, he's-he's gone."

Kurt sat up a little straighter in his bed.

"When?" he whispered.

"Saturday night. It was a drunk driver."

Kurt felt his chest tighten for his fallen friend.

"That's terrible," Kurt said aware of the fact that he almost sounded inconsiderate. He hadn't intended to sound so rude, "Thank you for letting me know."

"I know you're far away now, but there is a service on Friday at Dalton. If you can make it…"

"I'll be there," Kurt whispered just before exchanging an awkward goodbye with his former teammate.

Kurt called Rachel almost immediately afterward, thankful when his friend booked him a flight back to Ohio, and herself the seat next to him.

When Rachel and Kurt arrived at Dalton, the atmosphere was rather cinematic. Not that the building wasn't stunning (which it was) or the landscape wasn't perfect, or the people gathered in their funeral best. But the sky was gray and it drizzled occasionally. Overdramatic weather for a funeral, just like a movie makers loved to use to set the tone.

Kurt grabbed hold of Rachel's hand as they made their way up the front steps of Dalton Academy, a place Kurt hadn't been since he was sixteen. He'd been happy to go, but he never thought he'd be this upset about being returning. He refused to think it, but he knew it had less to do with his fallen friend, and more to do with the memories he'd forbidden himself to relive.

Kurt and Rachel took a seat among the bountiful faces, some Kurt recognized, some he didn't. There was a picture of David at the front of the room, another picture behind it, of the Warblers; of the Warblers with Kurt right before they'd lost Regionals. He had a copy of the same picture at his house in Lima, in a box hidden in the back of his closet.

The service started and former teachers and friends and family of David got up and talked about him and his accomplishments not only in high school, but until the last day of his life. Kurt learned a few things about David that he'd never known. He wished he would have stayed in touch.

As was expected, the voices started in a chorus of rhythmic noises traditional to the a capella genre. One Kurt had been familiar with, though he still preferred the gentle sigh of strings.

Kurt heard his voice cut through the sea of harmonies before he saw him and suddenly he felt like someone was standing on his chest. He should have known this would happen. He should have known he’d be here. And maybe he did, he just didn't want to deal with it. The only difference was that now, Blaine was in front of him, and now he couldn‘t avoid it.

I know you're somewhere out there
Somewhere far away
I want you back
I want you back
My neighbors think
I'm crazy
But they don't understand
You're all I have
You're all I have

It was another moment before Kurt saw him as he was stepping up three steps at the front of the room, taking in the audience’s attention. He looked almost identical to the last time he'd seen him, but two years had passed and they weren't teenagers anymore, and it was almost as if Kurt had blinked and suddenly Blaine Anderson was in front of him, grown up.

Blaine continued singing and Kurt couldn't help put let the boy hold his attention. His voice had always been amazing. It had once been soothing while simultaneously sending chills down his spine. It failed to be any different as he sang now.

Kurt felt Rachel take his hand and gently tightened his fingers around hers, but didn't look away from Blaine, the other boy shedding a tear as he continued to sing. It wasn't until the second chorus that there was a rush of heat that washed over Kurt. It had nothing to do with how attractive Blaine was, or memories of great days that the boys shared, but the heat came from anger; the anger he felt the night that Blaine left him in the middle of a storm, standing in his front yard. A tear escaped his own eye, and it had nothing to do with David, or the great loss that they were honoring; but it had everything to do with the anger he was feeling, and the acknowledgement of the cloud that had always been above Kurt's head for the last two years.

If he turned his head, he'd see Rachel staring at him, waiting for him to make a move, to take a breath. But he couldn't. Blaine was lost in the emotion of the song, then he cocked his head in Kurt's direction, and it was then that their eyes met. For the first time in nearly two years, they saw each other. Kurt remained focused, but Blaine quickly turned away from Kurt, focusing on the other side of the room as he continued to sing, without missing a beat.

In hopes you’re on the other side, talking to me too.
Or am I a fool, who sits alone, talking to the moon.

Kurt wanted to jump up and run out of the room. Too many memories, both good and bad, were flooding his brain and he wasn't sure how much longer he could take it silently. The boy in front of him had broken his heart the summer before college, and it still hurt to see him. But it would be disrespectful to Kurt to walk out; so he just took a stronger hold of Rachel's hand as he finally turned his head to look at her, only to find her watching at him, sympathetically. Rachel wrapped her other hand around where their hands met, sitting on Kurt's knee.

I know you’re somewhere out there, somewhere far away.

The last note of the song rang through room and Kurt finally took a breath. It was ragged but he used it to control his emotions and fight off the fresh tears that longed to fall to his cheeks. He failed but was thankful that there were other people around him crying, though for different reasons. Rachel was crying, though Kurt wasn't entirely sure why. Blaine never looked back in their direction and the moment the service ended Kurt, grateful, quickly held tight to Rachel's hand and led them out of the room.