"Blaine? It's Finn here, the hotel manager." Finn could feel the small beads of sweat already forming on his brow. He was trying really hard to stay calm but it was proving quite difficult. Difficult because he had worked so long to create such a high image for his hotel and he knew how quickly rumors could destroy everything that he had built. The handsome man before him could easily be the cause of one of these destructive rumors and it might be horrible to say it, but it would be for the best if he was gone before any more guests laid their eyes on him. "Could you come to the front desk? There's someone here who wants to speak to you." His eyes gave the man another quick glance and he wondered at how Blaine had gotten himself caught up in such a lifestyle.

Sam ignored him. He was used to this kind of response. He was used to the stares, the raised eyebrows, the disapproving glances but Sam, having been in his trade for a significant time now, knew that deep down ninety percent of the people who were openly against him, were actually holding some kind of interest or jealousy towards him. And, in these instances, he just loved to play up to it all because these people really didn't bother him one bit. Not even with all their finery and snobbery. He leaned across the front desk and rolled his eyes.

"He says his name is Mr. Sam Evans," Finn continued wishing that Blaine could just magically appear right beside him and whisk Sam away right then and there.

"Let me talk to him. Let me!" Sam demanded waving his fingers dramatically in front of Finn's face. He quickly grabbed the handle of the phone and placed it by his ear. "Yo, Blaine, babe," his voice deep and seductive, "would you come down here? The sphincter police won't let me through." Sam listened to Blaine's response, nodded his head and then glared back at Finn before he spoke in a sing-song voice, "He's on his way!"

Finn tried to remain composed. He believed that he was a calm understanding man but Sam was pushing the boundaries. He turned and walked away thinking that it was probably the best solution for the time being.

Blaine practically danced the whole way down to the foyer. Sam was just the person Blaine needed to see right now. He represented the comfort, guidance and security that only a true friend could provide and Blaine needed that after learning that his feelings had not been reciprocated. He had felt numb all morning not knowing what to do with himself or what to think, or what his next steps should be. Blaine however, was not about to let Sam know what had happened between Kurt and him, it was just too shameful and embarrassing, and to an outsider, he bet it sounded absurd. Who falls in love in one week and with a client at that? 

"Listen," Blaine started as soon as he saw Sam. "I've been calling you."

"Yeah, I know, they told me at the Banana that you were looking for me," Sam confirmed looping his arm casually with Blaine's as they walked through the hotel's manicured gardens, searching for a place to sit.

"You were supposed to come by Tuesday," Blaine continued to chide. "I left the money at the desk for you."

"I was hiding from Tina," Sam confessed and Blaine's eyebrows rose as he heard Sam's words. The realization that this was going to be his reality once again within the next twenty four hours was hard to take. Blaine shuddered, he felt so removed from that life right now and without a doubt, he knew that he didn't want to go back to it at all. The thought of having to turn tricks with a complete stranger, no matter what money was being offered, was the most disgusting thing he could think of. It was Kurt, only Kurt that he wanted.

He blinked his eyes and refocused on their conversation. "If you picked up the money, you wouldn't have to hide!" Blaine managed.

"Hey, I was busy. I had a life," and Blaine knew that there was going to be a long list here," Jacob got beat up. I had to visit him in the hospital. Quinn got arrested. It was a mess! Anyway, I got the money. Thank you very much for saving my ass. Now Tina can get some of it," he paused for a moment before he continued. "She was talking about you last night." Sam took a step back and looked Blaine up and down. "She would bust something if she saw you in this outfit. I was afraid to hug you up there! I was worried I might wrinkle you!!" The teasing tone quickly left Sam's voice though and he gave Blaine a genuine smile. "You look really good."

Blaine smiled softly at his words and guided him to a set of comfortable chairs positioned under a large umbrella. He might look good but he didn't feel good.

"You clean up real nice," Sam said wistfully as they sat down. "You sure don't fit in on the Boulevard," and then he added kindly, "not that you ever did."

"Well thanks. It's easy to clean up when you got money," Blaine told him.

They were silent for a few seconds and then Sam leaned his elbows onto the table, deciding it was time to approach the unavoidable topic hanging over both of their heads.

"So, when does he leave?" he asked.

Blaine's stomach dropped but he had to be strong. "Tomorrow," he answered softly. Oh, he was dreading this and he hoped he could get through this conversation without falling apart. It was inevitable that Sam would ask about Kurt and he had tried to mentally prepare himself for it but his heart was too heavy with grief.

"You get to keep the clothes?" Sam asked, still playing it safe and avoiding the serious and important questions.

"Yeah," Blaine said with another soft smile while he ran his hands over the designer jeans that appeared to be molded to his body.

"Kurt asked me if I wanted to see him again," Blaine suddenly announced. Maybe he did need to talk about it he realized because he had spoken the statement before he had even had time to consider it. Blaine paused and tried to put on a brave face but suddenly chickened out. No, what had happened this morning, it was still too soon, it was all too painful. "But I think, definitely no. I mean, it's just another week, right?" Blaine quickly added. He waited anxiously, hoping that Sam would agree and play down the past couple of days even though he was still oblivious to what had happened between them.

Sam eyed him suspiciously and leaned in even closer to examine Blaine's face.

"Definitely no?" Sam asked sarcastically with a knowing look.

"Yeah," Blaine couldn't help it any longer. He couldn't even maintain eye contact with Sam, the pain, the hurt was too much and he hung his head trying ever so hard to keep his composure. He was a fool. Why had he let himself fall this deep? Why had he exposed so much of himself to another human being?

"Oh, no!" Sam said shaking his head. "I know this weepy look on your face."

"Oh, no, don't," Blaine muttered turning his head away. He had tried to so hard to hide it but his love for Kurt must have been so clearly engraved on his face. 

"You fell in love with him," Sam announced continuing to shake his head in such a manner that one would think that Blaine had just been diagnosed with a serious illness.

"No. Sam, please stop it," Blaine begged knowing what was coming. Sam was definitely going to barrage him a long lecture on why he shouldn't fall in love.

"You fell in love with him!" he repeated. "Did you kiss him? On the mouth?" He gasped then as if it was the worst unimaginable thing in the world.

"I did!" Blaine exclaimed. He wasn't going to lie about it.

"You kissed him on the mouth?" Sam asked again, the words at the end of his sentence going high from the shock in his voice. Blaine had broken the most important prostitute rule in the world. Everyone knew it: you never kissed a client on the mouth!

"It was nice!" Blaine cried in his defense. In fact it was more than nice, he thought as he mind went back to the night before where their lips had met, softly and then passionately, gently caressing each other before they traced over other parts of their bodies that made Blaine instinctively blush at the intimacy of it all. He had performed such acts a million times on the job, but with Kurt, his knees suddenly went weak. He blinked several times to bring himself out of the memory and reprimanded himself. He shouldn't go there. He shouldn't do that to himself.

Sam still had that disbelieving brotherly expression on his face. "You fall in love with him and you kiss him on the mouth?" He shook his head unimpressed. "Did I not teach you anything?"

"Look, I'm not stupid OK," Blaine announced feeling more than a little angry now. He had expected a little more support from Sam. This was love for goodness sake, it wasn't like he had been asking for it, it wasn't like he had gone out looking for it, he hadn't been foolish and he hadn't been rash. It had just happened, flooring him like he had been hit by a train. Blaine was in it too deep, drowning almost and he had to convince himself that it wasn't true. "I'm...I'm not in love with him. I just....I like him." It was a lie, a bad lie and he hadn't been successful at all in convincing Sam.

"You like him?" Sam repeated and sure enough he didn't believe Blaine one bit.

"Yeah."

"You definitely like him?" Sam nodded his head and in actual fact he was starting to feel quite impressed that Blaine could have such an experience in one short week, an experience that could turn his world upside down. He had to show some understanding he decided because he had never seen Blaine look like this. "Well, he's not a bum. He's a rich, classy guy."

"Who's going to break my heart, right?" Blaine gushed, his feelings crashing back to the surface again. ‘Would this ever end?'

"Oh, no. Come on," Sam said quickly, unable to see his friend so broken. "You don't know that. Maybe you guys could like ...um... you know, get a house and buy some diamonds and a horse, I don't know." He was reaching but he had to try and get a smile back on Blaine's face. "It could work." Blaine started to laugh and sniffled back the tears that he hadn't been able to hold back. He loved Sam's sense of humour. "It happens," Sam continued. "It could work. It could happen..."

"It could happen?" Blaine asked wearily. He never knew that being in love could be so exhausting. "When does it happen, Sam?" And then he thought some more. "Who does it really work out for? I just want to know who it works out for. You give me one example of someone we know that it happened for."

"Name someone?" Sam responded all surprised. His hands rose to his forehead and he squinted his eyes together as he thought. "You want me to name someone?"

"Yeah, I'd like a name," Blaine declared suddenly defiant. He would bet his soul right now that Sam wouldn't be able to think of anyone they knew who had had their fairy tale dream come true.

"Oh, god! The pressure of a name!" He suddenly threw his hands up in the air as a name came to mind. "Cinda-fuckin'-rella."

Blaine laughed, his first real laugh all day because the answer was so fucking ridiculous.

***

"Mrs. Lopez," Rachel began unable to keep the smirk off her face. "You said you wished to speak to Mr. Hummel this morning. Mr Hummel is now listening."

Santana sighed and shifted her weight to a more comfortable position on the seat. This was going to be the hardest announcement she was ever going to have to make. She squared her shoulders and swallowed her pride. "I've reconsidered my position on your acquisition offer." Santana began trying to ignore the delighted beaming grin that had quickly overtaken Rachel's face. If it had been any other situation she would have gladly reached across the table and slapped the smile right back off it. This was too important however and she had to remain professional. "On one condition though," she said looking back at Kurt. "I'm not so concerned about me, but the people who work for me."

"That's not a problem," Rachel said quickly before Kurt could get a word in. She didn't want anything to come in between them settling this deal, and with Kurt's behavior in the past couple of days, she just couldn't trust him...not when they were this close. "They'll be taken care of," Rachel continued. But her response was too flippant and cold that Santana could not hold anything but distrust towards her. Rachel rose and addressed the room, "Now then, ladies and gentleman if we could address the contracts....."

"Excuse me, Rachel," Kurt put his hand up signaling for her to stop, a deep frown causing the soft lines on his face to crinkle together. "I'd like to speak to Mrs. Lopez alone."

Rachel rolled her eyes... another stall. She swallowed deeply and tried to keep calm because no matter what Rachel was feeling inside she regarded herself as a professional and that meant she had to continue being Kurt's ever faithful sidekick. Who knew, maybe he could wrangle something else in to help their deal. She quickly motioned the other people to the door with a quick sweep of her hand. "You heard the man. Please wait outside."

The other men in the room shrugged and without resistance (they were all too used to their place in the scheme of things) rose to their feet and started filing out of the room.

"You too, Rachel," Kurt told her firmly.

A short disbelieving laugh escaped her lips, "What...what do you mean?"

"I mean, I would like to speak to Mrs. Lopez, alone," Kurt reiterated without any hesitation.

"Why does he get to stay?" Rachel spat, her inner self control rapidly unraveling and she instantly forgot that only seconds ago she had prided herself on being so professional. Kurt had crossed a line however by wanting her to wait outside and Rachel was never one to handle being swept to the curb like she wasn't important. After everything that they had been through over the past ten years, he was just going to make her wait outside in the hallway, with the help? Who the hell did he think he was?

Santana gave Sebastian a quick flick of the head hoping that if he left that Rachel would go quietly too. Sebastian quickly rose to his feet unperturbed that he was being asked to leave and managed to give Rachel a condescending look as he walked past. She glared back. As if she needed to be scolded by him! She gave Kurt one last pleading glance but he only nodded towards the exit and her expression turned into a bitter scowl. She spun on her heels and marched out of the room slamming the door behind her.

"Mrs. Lopez my interest in your magazine has changed," Kurt announced once they were by themselves and the room was quiet.

"What is it you're after now, Mr. Hummel?" Santana asked suspiciously. She swept her hair elegantly off her shoulder while she watched his every move. 

"Well, I no longer wish to buy your magazine," Kurt paused, "and I don't want anyone else to either because it's still extremely vulnerable." He walked slowly around the room, lost in his thoughts knowing that his next words were going to change everything. Kurt swallowed a deep breath and gave Santana a reassuring smile. "So, I find myself in unfamiliar territory. I want to help you..."

Rachel waited impatiently. She glared at Sebastian. It was his fault too, even though he had been sent outside the office as well. She thrust her hands deep into the pockets of her jacket and fisted them together wanting to stride back into the room and physically force Kurt and Santana to follow her demands and ideas.

The door opened and Rachel leapt at Kurt.

"Kurt, please," she almost begged. "Tell me what all of this is about."

"It's all yours, Rachel," Kurt responded simply while he patted her on the shoulder in an offhanded manner. "Finish it up."

Rachel grimaced, she didn't like to be mocked and she didn't like to be left out of the loop. She stormed over to the table where the meeting had been taking place. 

"Hold on," Kurt could hear her exclaim as he turned to leave. "These aren't signed. These aren't signed! Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?" And Kurt couldn't help the smile and chuckle that escaped his lips.

"Mr. Hummel is not going to buy my magazine," he heard Santana tell her.

Kurt kept walking, he needed to get out of the cramped office and go for a walk. He needed to think, to clear his head and gain some perspective. He had settled one large issue that had been playing on his mind all week, now he just needed to settle another.