Twenty Six months after the divorce

Blaine had finally regained the courage to start working again, not at the New York Journal but at his new local coffee shop. Where he was able to work short hours and not leave too late. It was also in a new neighbourhood where he'd moved with Kelsey and Darren a year previously to help him feel safer.

Today he got up and showered, as usual. He dressed in his beige khakis and light blue shirt, as usual. He ate his usual breakfast of porridge and banana with Kelsey and Darren, as usual. He made and enjoyed the small walk to the coffee shop listening to his iPod, as usual. He clocked in on time and readied the shop for the morning customers, as usual. He even served his regulars with the same fake smile he always donned, as per usual. What he didn't expect was the tall chestnut haired customer who arrived at twelve twenty... and from the looks of it he didn't expect to see Blaine either.

"Oh" said Kurt when he got to the counter "Um Hi"

"Good afternoon sir, welcome to Eight Ounce, My name is Blaine. What can I get you" said Blaine, professionally trying not to let his emotions get the better of him.

"Blaine?" said Kurt confused, why was Blaine working here? Why was he pretending he didn't know Kurt? "You know my coffee order"

"Yes, Okay sir. One Grande Non Fat Mocha coming up. That's $3.40"

"Blaine?!"

"Yes Sir?" said Blaine as he was making Kurt's coffee

"Can- can we talk?" asked Kurt quietly.

Blaine turned and looked at Kurt, he was confused. Why did Kurt want to talk to him? He hadn't contacted Blaine in any way. Had he heard about the assault and was here to bombard him with questions?

"Um Why?"

"I, Um, I want us to be friends again. I was going to call..." said Kurt fiddling with something on his finger

Blaine saw something glimmer and his heart leapt. He first thought Kurt was wearing his ring that maybe he'd found Blaine out and wanted to try again. But then Blaine remembered that he had Kurt's ring... Kurt had given it him back when he left the apartment and his heart sunk. He half hoped it was just a promise ring... nothing too official. But on the other hand he knew Kurt deserved happiness.

"Um, Okay" said Blaine slightly disheartened" My break is in 5 minutes"

Kurt sat down and waited. He fiddled with the lid of his coffee cup. He'd missed Blaine; he'd been worried about him. The last time he'd seen Blaine he seemed so scared, so worried, so timid, so not Blaine. Kurt wanted to help Blaine he wanted to know what Kelsey meant when she said "Things change ... people change! Horrible things happen and people are left with the consequences." and "You try living with what he is, and see if you're 'you' anymore!" but most of all he wanted to be part of Blaine's life again... he wanted Blaine to be in his again.

Blaine walked over with a coffee and two muffins in hand. He sat down opposite the other man looking at him, sadly.

"Hey" said Blaine softly.

"Hey" Kurt returned and half smiled.

Blaine tried to smile; the corners of his mouth twitched and curved up slightly but fell back into place. Blaine rarely smiled nowadays and often when he did it was the fake smile he used with really annoying customers.

It hurt Kurt to see Blaine upset. As badly as Blaine had hurt him, despite how much Kurt wanted to hate the adorable puppy, he still cared deeply. Part of him still loved Blaine and always would. Blaine was his first love... you never completely lose feeling for your first.

"So" said Blaine breaking the uncomfortable silence. "What did you want to talk about Kurt?"

"Um ... Us ... as friends. I mean" said Kurt still staring at his cup.

"Yeah?"

"I, I miss you Blaine. You were... um are, were? Whatever you're my best friend. And I miss you and your friendship... you know me better than anyone..."

"I miss you too Kurt" said Blaine quietly "Can, can we be friends again?"

"I'd like that"

"Me too"

"Yeah... I've been worried about you..."

"Why?"

"When we last me... you didn't seem yourself" said Kurt looking in to Blaine's eyes, his big amber eyes "What happened?"

"I, I can't... I'm sorry... I just I can't"

"But why can't you tell me me? You used to tell me everything?"

"I just, I really, really can't..."

"But why?"

"Don't push this Kurt! Please don't..." said Blaine, starting to close in on himself.

"Okay... Okay Blaine... I won't" he said reaching across the table and placing his left hand on Blaine's arm.

"Thank you... Um, can I ask about the ring?"

"Oh um..." said Kurt, looking at the ring, he smiled a small smile.

"It's isn't mine is it... you gave me it back"

"No not yours... um," Kurt sighed heavily this was going to be hard "a few weeks ago... um, Ryan proposed"

Blaine's heart sunk, he'd really lost Kurt.

"That's great Kurt, I wish you both the best..." said Blaine avoiding Kurt's gaze.

"Yeah he's really nice and sweet..." said Kurt.

"I bet. I, um, I have to go break is over... I should get back to work" said Blaine wanting to get away from Kurt for bit, wanting to be alone.

"Um, okay... Can, can we meet up again"

"Um yeah sure... I'll, I'll text you" said Blaine getting up and walking as calmly as he could to his manager's office.

Blaine took the rest of the day off. He needed time to gather his thoughts and process the news from Kurt.

Kurt sat in the coffee shop for a while before leaving he'd been dreading telling Blaine that he was engaged again. He wanted to tell him when they became better friends again.

~~~
A Few Days Later


Hey B., wanna grab a coffee-K

Yeah sure...where? When?-B

Central park... 1 hour- K

Sure see you there-B

Yeah –K x

~~~

"Hey..." said Blaine as he walked towards Kurt a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes on his face.

"Hey!" Kurt jumped up from the bench where he was sat in thought and gave Blaine a hug.

Blaine flinched slightly, scared about the proximity of another but the he smelt Kurt's familiar scent and relaxed. He sunk in to the hug, suddenly feeling safer, if only marginally. They parted and Kurt smiled at Blaine.

"I've missed those" Kurt admitted "I thought maybe we could have a good old catch up"

Blaine nodded in agreement and they walked to the small coffee vender got their usual coffee and a Danish pastry and sat back down on the bench. Blaine glanced over at Kurt and watched as the wind blew Kurt's perfectly coiffured hair in his eyes, the way he smiled as he looked back and pushed it back up off his brow. Kurt bit his lip gently looking back at Blaine, and sipped his coffee slowly.

"So other than the engagement" said Blaine a sadness flashing in his eyes, a pit forming in his stomach "What's new with you?"

"Well um, I got promoted. You are now talking to the Co-Editor-in-Chief of Runway magazine" said Kurt beaming.

He was so happy. This was his dream job he was running his own magazine... well kinda. Harriet had gone in to retirement and Lotti and Kurt we're co-editors-in-chief. He loved organizing the magazine, checking everything making sure it was all present and correct and ready for the issue to ship. He loved bossing people around. In short he loved his new job, it made him happy.

"That's great Kurt" said Blaine, feeling really proud of Kurt

"What about you? I mean other than the thing you can't tell me"

"Um nothing much"

"Oh"

"Yeah... um I was um... fired from the New York Journal" Blaine lied, convincingly... or so he thought.

He knew Kurt could normally see through usual fa�ade, he just hoped this time it'd fool him. He hoped Kurt wouldn't ask questions, he still wasn't ready to talk about it. He still got vivid nightmares and horrific flashbacks when he so much of thought about what happened. Kurt would panic... it would make Kurt sad, and Blaine couldn't be the reason Kurt was sad again.

"You did?!?" said Kurt, not really Believing him... he could Always see through Blaine's lies.

"Yeah... um something about office misconduct... I think Sebastian the sleazeball told Jordan, about our um... escapades, after I turned him down at Jeremiahs party... anyway" he lied again. "So yeah I got fired and started working at that coffee shop..."

"Oh?" said Kurt again... wondering why Blaine would lie like that to him.

The two men walked and chatted for hours. It felt so easy, so familiar, so normal... so right. The felt completely comfortable with each other... like they could act like complete nerds. They laughed and smiled and remembered.

"Can I ask you something?" said Kurt

"Um sure...." said Blaine wearily

"Um... you don't have to but... "Kurt trailed off "you know what never mind"

"No what was it?"

"Okay... it's just our wedding was so beautiful and amazing and Ryan isn't too in to weddingy stuff... I was wondering if maybe you'd help me plan it. You, you don't have to... it's just... you're good at this stuff, Bee."

"Won't it be a bit awkward... and you know Ryan doesn't like me much"

"You don't have to," Kurt repeated "You're good at it you have a real knack for it... sorry is shouldn't have asked"

Kurt looked awkwardly to his feet. He knew it was a stupid thing to ask. But he'd missed Blaine and he had made their wedding beautiful. It was fun and pretty and perfect... it was so them, it had been dapper and sophisticated. Blaine had pulled out all the stops to make it a day Kurt would never forget. Blaine knew everything Kurt liked, he could capture the beauty. He could make the simplest of things look beautiful.

"No, um, I guess it could be fun... I want you to be happy Kurt... you deserve it..."

"You sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, dummy"

"Okay Billy Crystal" said Kurt with a smile.

"Not that analogy again, Kurt" said Blaine, with a laugh...

Kurt laughed. They hung out for another few hours.

"I should be heading back... um before it gets dark" said Blaine, panicking slightly. "I've got s show at Bar 4"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... call me okay? We're going to give you the best wedding"

"Thank you bee. See you soon"

"Yeah, see you soon"

~~~

Blaine headed to Bar 4 with Kelsey and Darren, he didn't mind walking late at night as long as he had friends, ones who knew and whom he trusted. He loved the nights when he performed, he could just forget about what happened to him. He loved music, it made him feel free.

"Hey hello everyone" said Blaine.

People cheered and he smiled briefly.

"So I'm going to start with a personal favorite" he said sitting down at the piano

He began to play the opening chords to 'Teenage Dream' by Katy Perry. He'd always loved this song, though it was his and Kurt's song, he still loved it. He let his mind drift over the start of his and Kurt's relationship, back when they were just friends. He loved those days they we're perfect, and if he couldn't be with Kurt intimately they could be at least friends. He was so into the song that he didn't notice the cute bar man staring at him.

Blaine sung a few more songs from his repertoire and took a short break. He took a seat at the bar and the cute bar man came right over.

"Um, Hey Blaine" said the bar man.

Blaine looked up, he has tousled mousey brown hair, bright green eyes and one of the cutest smiles Blaine had seen, Blaine bit the inside of his lip gently. He wasn't much taller than Blaine. The name tag on his shirt proclaimed him to be called Tobias.

"Um Hi..." said Blaine, slightly dazzled by the other guy.

"Can I get you a drink?" asked Tobias

"Vodka Soda... Please, Um Tobias

"You... You know my, n-name" he stuttered

"Yeah" said Blaine with a small laugh. "It's, it's on your name tag"

He smiled softly at the obviously nervous man.

"Shit, yeah... of course it is" said Tobias, as he slapped his forehead with his palm and running a hand through his styled brown hair.

"It's alright" said Blaine

"Sorry... You're just... I think you're an amazing singer and writer... and kinda hot... um... stop talking Tobias"

Blaine chuckled. He didn't think Tobias was too bad either.

"Um... thanks" said Blaine Blushing.

"Um... yeah..."

"Well, well, well fancy seeing you here Billy Crystal" Said a familiar voice behind him.

"Kurt!" said Blaine, turning around feeling guilty for a second for flirting "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to see you play. You mentioned it earlier"

"oh?" said Blaine "It was nice of you to come"

"Its what friends do bee.. support each other" said Kurt he looked past Blaine to Tobias "I'll take a Shirley Temple thanks"

"Of course sir" said Tobias, smiled and made Kurt his drink.

"My breaks over, but would you like to do a duet with me? I have the perfect song"

"I don't know bee"

"Please Kurt?"

Kurt looked at Blaine, he looked back with his big puppy dog eyes. Kurt could never resist those big amber eyes, they pleaded and bored into him.

"Fine.... okay, okay" said Kurt, smiling. "You know I can't resist those eyes"

Blaine took Kurt's has and pulled him up on stage. Kurt was thrust back in to memories of when they first met. He remembered how Blaine took his hand, claiming he knew a short cut to 'Warbler Hall' which actually later turned out to be longer. Kurt didn't mind it meant he could hold Blaine's hand, plus being pulled behind him meant that he could stare at Blaine's ass. Kurt remembered as he walked down the staircase, he was looking for a nice looking guy to stop and ask... then he saw Blaine, and something just drew him in and he fell.

"Hey guys I'm back" said Blaine, this was met with a small applause "and I have a guest on stage with me, for the regulars you know and love him, for the irregulars he's amazing, you're gonna love him... it's Kurt Hummel everybody!"

They cheered, Blaine sat at the piano and began to sing.

Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day believe me

A smile spread across Kurt's face as he recognized the song. His mom used to love this song, he remembered he had told Blaine about this song and how his mom and used to sing this with him in the car, his mom singing was one of his favorite memories of his childhood.

I bless the light
I bless the light that lights on you believe me
And though you're gone
You're with me every single day believe me

Days I'll remember all my life
Days when you can't see wrong from right
You took my life
But then I knew that very soon you'd leave me
But it's alright
Now I'm not frightened of this world believe me

I wish today could be tomorrow
The night is long
It just brings sorrow let it wait

Blaine watched as Kurt took over the next verse. He loved watching Kurt sing, he always looked so happy. Blaine like seeing Kurt happy, the way his eyes lit up, he loved Kurt's smile. Blaine knew this song was special to Kurt. It was perfect for their situation.

Thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day believe me

Days I'll remember all my life
Days when you can't see wrong from right
You took my life
But then I knew that very soon you'd leave me
But it's alright
Now I'm not frightened of this world believe me

Days, thank you for the days
Those endless days, those sacred days you gave me
I'm thinking of the days
I won't forget a single day believe me

I bless the light
I bless the light that lights on you believe me
And though you're gone
You're with me every single day believe me

Days

They received a standing ovation, Kurt climbed down off stage whilst Blaine finished the set. He stood over at the bar and chatted with Tobias. Darren walked over wondering why Kurt was there.

"Kurt, what are you doing here?" asked Darren, Blaine hadn't quite gotten around to telling him about his rekindled friendship with his ex-husband

"What do you mean? I'm his friend I'm here to support him, he asked me to sing with him and I did... there's nothing wrong with that" said Kurt, indignant.

"You've got a boyfriend Kurt... Blaine's going to get hurt"

"Correction, I have a fianc�... who Blaine knows about. I just want to be friends with him again... I miss him... Darren, I'm worried about him..."

"Hmmm..."

"I am, okay" said Kurt, taking Darren's arm and pulling him out of the way so that they could talk more privately "Look I know he's been through a rough time, I don't know what but something has happened and he won't talk to me about it... I know that maybe I shouldn't care and that now that we're divorced I don't have a right. But he was and still kind of is my best friend... he knows me... I just want to help him anyway I can..."

"Okay... but if hurt him anymore than he's been hurt already"

"Darren... I won't..." Kurt cut him off.

"Okay... just be careful okay... he's been through a lot..."

"He was my best friend... I can see that from one glance... he doesn't look the same"

Darren looked across at Blaine, he didn't look the same, but in truth he looked better now that Kurt had arrived. Kurt turned away from Darren and continued his conversation with Tobias. He watched Blaine finish his set as Blaine walked over.

"Hey!" he said.

"Great set Bee."

"Um thanks"

"You were amazing Blaine Anderson" said Tobias

"Thanks," said Blaine glancing outside. "I-I Should get going have, have you seen Dare, and Kels?"

"Um, I Think they're over there..."

Blaine looked over and saw them snuggled in a corner whispering, kissing... being a couple. Blaine didn't want to disturb them, he already inconvenienced them enough. He owed them this.

"O-okay" said Blaine, anxiety kicking in.

"Bee?" asked Kurt worried

"You okay Blaine Anderson?" said Tobias

"Um... uh... yeah" said Blaine "I, I should go"

Blaine turned and left. He made it to out to the street a few feet from the door before he ran back in. He looked up and down the street, his breathing growing rapid. His vision swam, he felt his knees go weak and give out beneath him; he braced himself for the landing but in never came. He felt a pair of strong arms holding him, and heard some harsh whispers before he fell unconscious.