The Hummels looked around the lobby in amazement. Neither of them had ever seen anything like it. Blaine stood quietly, giving them time to process. "Impressive, isn't it? The producers know how to do things right. Let's go talk to the concierge. This is the desk, and it's manned 24/7. If you need anything, you can call down here. There are instructions on the apartment phone. This is George. He usually has the day shift. George, these are the Hummels. Kurt is here for the�Project Runway�selection. Do you have keys for them?"

"Of course," said the concierge smoothly, handing an envelope to Kurt. "You'll find everything you need in here Mr. Hummel: two keys, a map to the building, information about the complimentary breakfast, fitness club, and the Sky Terrace. The elevators are just over there. You're on the 25th floor."

Kurt flashed a brilliant smile and held out his hand. "Thank you so much, George. I'm Kurt, and this is my father, Burt. It's very nice to meet you, and I'm especially happy to know there is someone here to help me if I need it."

Although slightly taken aback, George shook hands with Kurt, a grin replacing the very professional smile he usually wore. "Welcome to the Atlas, Kurt. I hope you enjoy your stay with us."

"Thanks, George. We appreciate it, as always," said Blaine, moving the Hummels toward the elevators.

****

"Now, how about lunch? What kind of food do you like?"

"Kurt's pretty adventurous, but I like plain food. I might want to try something more�interesting�later, but a sandwich would be fine with me right now."

Blaine paused to consider. "There are several places near here, but I have almost three hours before I have to be back at the airport. I wouldn't suggest this to just anyone, but I have a feeling Kurt would really enjoy it, and it fits your requirements as well. Do you trust me? I think it will be more fun if it's a surprise."

The Hummels exchanged glances. When Kurt nodded once, Burt turned to Blaine and said, "Lead on, Macduff."

Kurt shared a smile with Blaine. "Dad, the line is 'Lay on, Macduff' and it's a signal to start fighting. I'm pretty sure Blaine isn't about to attack us."

"Come on, Kiddo. Give your old dad a break. I'm hungry here. The only thing I've had since 5:00 this morning is the granola bar you gave me because you wouldn't let me eat the peanuts from the plane," Burt grumbled good-naturedly.

"Okay, in that case, we're going to a little place west of Central Park. If we have extra time after we eat, we'll spend it exploring." Blaine really hoped this worked out and the Hummels enjoyed their lunch. This wasn't the kind of place he would normally bring two men, but he had an irrational feeling that they might really enjoy it.

When they got to the car, Blaine leaned over to whisper their destination in the driver's ear. "Are you sure, Blaine?" Mike asked quietly. "They don't seem like the type, especially the dad."

"I hope so," returned Blaine. "If I'm wrong, it's on me, not you, okay?" Turning to Kurt, he began once again to narrate their trip. With most visitors to the show, he didn't bother, but these two seemed genuinely interested in everything he had to say, and he wanted to do whatever he could to make their visit memorable. "We have to go around the block because of the one-way streets. We're on West 38th Street at the moment, and you can see that this is part of the Garment District. There are all kinds of places to shop here, although some of them are wholesale only. We'll go one block down Fifth Avenue," Blaine said as they turned, "but this isn't the area where the really good stores are. I don't know how much free time you'll have while you are here, but maybe you'll get a chance to shop the famous Fifth Avenue stores a little. The library's in that area, too."

"It had better be window shopping, Kiddo," Burt interjected.

"Fifth Avenue is the line that divides east from west. This is West 37th Street. If you keep going east, it turns into East 37th Street when you cross Fifth Avenue. There are lots of shops here as well as great places to eat. The Skyline Recording Studio is over there on the left. You wouldn't believe their client list. At the corner, we'll turn right onto Sixth Avenue, which is also called The Avenue of the Americas, mostly by tourists. We'll be coming up on Bryant Park on the right in just a minute. The Christmas season vendors are already set up. It's a great place to find unique gifts, everything from hand crafted jewelry to accessories to unusual coffees and teas." Blaine didn't miss the sudden smile on Kurt's face at the last part.�This may work out better than I hoped.

"The Theatre District is down toward the left just a few blocks." Kurt immediately leaned forward and craned his neck, trying to catch a glimpse of … well … anything to do with theatre.

Ever observant, Blaine smiled. "So, you like the theatre?"

Burt snorted. "Does he like the theatre? Boy, does he like the theatre! He was Officer Krupke during his senior year of high school. Brought down the house." Burt's pride was evident.

"I'm not supposed to give anything away, but I know you're going to love at least one of the activities the producers have planned for you tomorrow," Blaine hinted. "Don't let on that I said anything, though."

"Blaine, that's just cruel! Tell me what we'll be doing!" Kurt begged.

"Sorry, I've said too much already. We're passing through the Diamond District now. Here, you'll find the jewelers and the gold buyers. If you go down there, be sure not to buy anything from someone who opens his coat to reveal 'genuine Rolex watches' or whatever. Rockefeller Center is over there on the right. The Top of the Rock has great views of the city. Radio City Music Hall is on the next corner. The Rockettes put on a great Christmas show.

"We're crossing West 57th Street now. The Russian Tea Room is down to the left." Blaine watched Kurt's face and smiled inwardly at the look of longing that flashed across his face so quickly that Blaine almost missed it. "We're going to turn on West 59th Street now and drive along Central Park South for a while." Blaine sensed that the Hummels might be suffering from information overload, so they sat in companionable silence for a while, enjoying the view of Central Park. "This is Columbus Circle," he resumed, "and now we're driving along Central Park West. There's ABC's�Nightline�and Tavern on the Green, and in a few blocks, we'll pass the Dakota Apartment Building. There's a beautiful 2 � acre landscaped section that is a memorial to John Lennon in the park. It's called Strawberry Fields. Sometimes you can see Yoko Ono in the park."

"Blaine, do you like music? Are you a performer?" Kurt inquired.

"Yes, I do. I like it quite a bit, actually. How did you know?"

"You mentioned the recording studio. It isn't exactly a typical tourist spot."

Blaine blushed and bit his lip. "Well, it's kind of a dream of mine, to sing professionally one day." Blaine wasn't sure why he was revealing himself to these people. 'This is just a job,' he reminded himself. Kurt was glad to see Blaine's suave fa�ade crack once more, even if it was only momentary. He liked the tiny glimpses of the real Blaine that he was occasionally able to catch.

The car pulled to the curb. "I hope you enjoy your lunch," Mike said as he opened the door for Burt. "About an hour, Blaine?"

"Make it two, Mike. It's such a pretty day today. When we finish, we'll explore the neighborhood or walk down to Central Park. I'll text you."

The Hummels looked around and exchanged glances. Neither of them saw anywhere to eat. They looked at Blaine in confusion.

"I hope you don't mind. I wanted you to both see it at the same time, so I asked Mike to drop us off at the end of the block. It's right down here." Suddenly, Blaine was nervous.�I hope they like this. This is a big risk. I don't care if they complain about me, but I want them to have fun while they're here. Oh, well. Here goes.�He took a deep breath and led the way to a doorway under a purple awning.�Alice's Tea Cup�was embroidered on the overhang.

Blaine was prepared for almost any reaction from his charges anything except the loud squeal that burst from Kurt's throat.

"Oh, Blaine! Is this a tea room? With tea parties? Oh, Dad, you have to show him the pictures! Blaine, I can't believe you brought us here. How did you know? Show him, Dad!"

Blaine turned to Burt, amazed to see that Burt was just as excited as Kurt. Burt reached into his pocket and got out his wallet, extracting two pictures. "Here, Kiddo. You show him," said Burt gruffly.

Kurt all but snatched the photos from Burt's hand. "This one is my mom and I. I guess I was how old, Dad? About four?" Blaine smiled at the picture. A very young Kurt was sitting at a table with a woman who was obviously his mother. They each had on a huge hat. The table at which they were sitting was covered with a tablecloth and set with a tea pot, cups and saucers, and slightly messy finger sandwiches.

"That sounds about right. The two of you had tea parties every Saturday for years, but I think that photo was taken when you were four. I can tell you helped make the sandwiches."

"After my mom died, Dad and I continued the tradition. My friend, Rachel, took this picture. That's why the table is set for three. I could never get him to wear the hat, though," Kurt mused. "I think I'm about twelve here."

"Having tea is very special to us, Blaine," explained Burt, putting his arm around his son. "It's a way for us to remember Kurt's mother, and over the years we've had tea parties to celebrate or whenever one of us had a hard day or needed comfort, or just because. Kurt usually fixes all the food, but sometimes I help and then my sandwiches are messy, just like the ones Kurt made when he was four." Burt opened the door and motioned for the young men to enter.

"It's modeled after the Mad Hatter's Tea Party," Blaine said unnecessarily. The walls of what evidently was a dwelling at one time were covered with hand-lettered quotes from�Alice in Wonderland. It was a little before noon, so they were quickly ushered into the dining area. "Oh, good, this is one of my favorites," said Blaine when he saw that they were being seated at one of the shadowbox tables. "I like looking at all the objects under the glass." Their server introduced herself, gave them menus, brought glasses of water, then left to give them time to decide. Blaine smiled as the Hummels discussed the menu, exclaimed over the numerous varieties of tea, and tried to reach a decision. When the server had come and gone three times, Blaine realized he needed to step in. Obviously, they were tired from the flight and the excitement and the menu offered too many choices. "May I make a suggestion?" he asked. "Why don't we get the Mad Hatter Tea for two, and a third pot of tea and a third sandwich, since you usually have sandwiches at your tea parties? That will give us three sandwiches and three scones to share, and we can each pick a different flavor of tea."

Burt looked a little uncomfortable, but Blaine had a feeling he knew what the problem was. "Don't worry I won't get in trouble for taking you here. Usually I take people to a steakhouse or for ethnic food or sushi, but I'm authorized to use my judgment and go pretty much anywhere the guests want to go. This will probably end up being one of the smaller tickets turned in today." Burt relaxed immediately and Blaine knew he had guessed correctly. Burt had been worried about the expense.

"That sounds great, Blaine," said Kurt gratefully. "Thank you." Blaine waited until they had each selected a tea Castleton Estate Vintage for Burt, Alice's Tea for Kurt before selecting something very different for himself. He settled on Lapsang Souchong Superior, a smoked tea with an unusual flavor. Most people said it was an acquired taste, but he liked it, and Kurt and Burt could try it. If they liked it, he would share. If not, they would have the other two teas to drink. Blaine motioned to their server, and they placed their order for tea, selected scones and sandwiches and a special dessert to share along with the assorted cookies.

Blaine was an excellent interviewer. He knew how to draw people out, and he knew how to listen with his whole body, paying complete attention to the speaker. Up until this point, he had done most of the talking, serving as more of a tour guide than a conversationalist, gathering his information from the way Kurt reacted, but now he sat back, completely receptive. By the time their food arrived, he knew quite a bit about the Hummel family in general and Kurt in particular, and the Hummels still had no idea that the first interview of round 2 had started when he met them at the airport. He really had enough to write his report, but he continued asking questions, sharing information about himself as needed to draw Kurt out.

He liked this family, he decided. He liked their strength and gentleness, and he liked the way they worked together. Kurt wasn't afraid to show his excitement that would come across well on camera or let his inner child have free rein. His voice was unusual, too. That would give the viewers a way to identify him quickly. He knew all the designers tended to blend together in the viewers' minds for the first few episodes. The ones who stood out in the beginning usually ended up doing well. Of course, his striking good looks wouldn't hurt any, either. He would be a designer that the audience would root for, right from the start.

Kurt had performance experience, too. The directors would be ecstatic about that. It was so much easier to work with designers who had performed in some capacity before and Kurt knew how to act, sing and dance. There wasn't much call for the latter two skills on the show, but you never knew. He was much less likely to freeze up in front of the camera than someone with no prior experience.

He thought back over the interaction with the concierge. Kurt had managed to charm the unflappable George in about 30 seconds, and he didn't show any signs of snobbishness, even though Blaine had encouraged him to think of George as a servant. He had been engaging with their server as well, asking her what her favorite scone was, and inquiring about her accent. If he got along with everyone like that, he would do well on the show. The most important thing, though, was Kurt's obvious intelligence. Very few people ever caught the little clues he threw out, much less ran with them the way Kurt had with the recording studio reference. Blaine was already composing a glowing report in his mind as they ate.

It's time for the next test,�he thought. They had each finished their first cups of tea. "Would you like to try some of my tea? It's fairly unusual." He smiled when they both held out their cups, poured a small amount into each, and burst into laughter when the Hummels raised their cups in unison, pinkies extended. They mock-toasted each other before sipping. Blaine watched Kurt's face carefully.�Okay, the flavor surprised him. He's not sure if he likes it.

"Oh, it tastes like smoke!" Kurt exclaimed. "I didn't expect that."�Good, he verbalizes.�Kurt took another sip, swirling it around in his mouth. "What do you think, Dad?" Kurt asked.�Uh oh, is he just going to go along with whatever Burt says?�Blaine glanced at the older man.�He'll be polite, but he doesn't like it.

"I'm sorry, Blaine, but I guess this just isn't my cup of tea." He didn't realize exactly what he had said until heard their laughter.

"May I have a little more, please, Blaine? If you have enough to share, I mean. I'm still not sure."

Even better he's persistent and doesn't make snap decisions. He cares what Burt thinks, but doesn't let Burt's feelings influence his decision.�"Help yourself," offered Blaine, waving toward the teapot. He watched as Kurt filled the cup halfway.�This is interesting. He took quite a bit. I wonder why.

Kurt tried the tea with each of the different foods on the three-tiered stand, first with a bite of pumpkin scone, then with a bite of the smoked chicken breast sandwich. "Ooh, these are good together! This is the tea mentioned in the name of the sandwich, isn't it?" Kurt continued tasting, pausing to evaluate each one before moving on to the next.

This is�very�interesting. Instead of rejecting the taste out of hand, he tried it in combinations. If he can do that with fabric and other construction materials, he'll have a huge edge over other contestants who just give up when something won't work.�"Yes, it is. It's called Lapsang Souchong Superior, and the tea leaves are dried over a fire. That's what gives it the smoky taste," explained Blaine.

"I don't like it as much by itself, but it's really good with the chicken sandwich and the ham sandwich. I don't like it with the pumpkin scones or the berry scones, but I like it with the chocolate scones. Can I trade you some of my tea for another cup?"

This just gets better and better. The producers want this season to be more about cooperation. They aren't going to suggest trading, but it isn't prohibited.�"Take all you want. I never finish a pot. I'd love to try some of yours, though. As many times as I've been here, I've never tried their signature tea."

After everyone had tried all three of the teas and finished eating, they walked through Central Park, Blaine showing them the points of interest. Kurt was fascinated by all of it the vendors, the performers, the sculpture, the rock formations, the ducks, the bridges his attention was pulled in every direction and he soaked it up like a sponge. His curiosity was boundless and he asked questions continually. Blaine was willing to bet that if he made it onto the show, or even if he didn't, his designs would show the influence of the things he had seen in Central Park. Unfortunately their time was all too short, and Blaine was forced to text Mike to pick them up at the Pulitzer Fountain. They continued talking all the way back to the apartment, Kurt and Burt successfully pulling Mike into the conversation as well. It wasn't long before Burt and Mike were discussing the finer points of car maintenance in the front while Kurt and Blaine talked in the back.

When they got back to the Atlas, Blaine walked them up to their apartment and handed them his business card. "I've got to go to the airport now, but this is my number. If there is anything I can help you with while you're here, don't hesitate to call me."

Kurt looked at the floor, hesitating. "Hey, Blaine," he asked, finally making a decision. "How did we do?"

No way! No … way! I've�never�been caught.�He took a deep breath and attempted to school his features. "What do you mean?"

Kurt flashed a cocky grin. The look on Blaine's face was all the confirmation he needed. "We're only here for three days. There isn't any time to waste. You just spent several hours with us. It was fun and we had a great time, but it was also an interview. I read the rules.�The selection process will be ongoing, and may start any time subsequent to the contestant's first contact with the producers or any designee thereof.�So, how'd we do?"