Chapter 22: Light

The unthinkable. People are so fragile; one moment here and the next they are gone. Finn was gone.

Louisa's shoulders raised and fell as she took in a deep breath. Brody watched it and took her hand. She squeezed his hand in her, looked at him and tried to smile. It was pain all over again, she was used to pain. However, Rachel was not. That was why they were here. Brody slid the doors open and a sobbing Rachel ran to his arms. Louisa was there to pat her back.

"How do I live from now on?"

Lou sighed:

"You learn to live with the pain. It goes dull with time. You honor him somehow; being an artist makes it all easier to do it. But most of all you relish in the pain because it means you had him in your life and it means so much."

Brody freed one hand from embracing Rachel to caress Lou's cheek:

"How do you know all that?"

Her eyes were gleaming with unshed tears:

"I've lost so many people, I lost count of. That's how my anxiety first triggered."

Rachel turned to her:

"Does that make Finn just another one? Does it make him any less special?"

"Oh no, Rachel. The pain is just as sharp."

The two girls hugged while Brody watched and fought his own tears. Louisa broke the embrace to look Rachel deep in her eyes:

"Never doubt that what you two had was true love. I never meant a thing to Finn."

"That's not true; he liked you very much."

"I know that. We became friends, family. But he loved you, Rachel. No one else."

Brody spoke out of his stupor:

"This feels so strange, doesn't it? It feels like the most surreal thing being here with the two of you, talking about Finn. And man! We've had so much petty this last year. And over what? Nothing! What does it mean who dates who when Finn is no longer here with us?"

Rachel's tears intensified again:

"It means I should have valued more the moments I had with him."

Louisa shook her head:

"Come on, it does no good to dwell in regrets. You two prized your moments together. You lived each moment to its fullest. Let's go to the practical side of things: have you eaten?"

Rachel snorted:

"Like I have an appetite..."

Louisa grabbed her hand and started dragging her to the kitchen:

"I know how it feels not wanting to do anything, wanting to give up and disappear. That's not the way, Rach. We're here to help you like I've been helped so many times. That means keeping you healthy. Times will teach you a way out of it."

xXxXx

Burt and Carole crossed the airport gate to see Kurt and Blaine waiting for them. Kurt and Carole went for a hug that needed no words and yet said it all. Burt grabbed his son's shoulders:

"You mean so much to me, buddy."

Kurt answered still from his stepmother's embrace:

"I love you so much, dad. Here we are facing it all over again."

Burt gave him a reassuring squeeze:

"But we are here again: together and standing."

Carole cupped Kurt's face with her hands:

"Finn understood this pain. He and I learned so much from the two of you. We've gained so much from our time as a family. Pity it was so short."

Blaine kindly touched her shoulder:

"We'll be forever Finn's family."

She half smiled:

"I never doubted it. That's why it's so important that we are all in here together."

Blaine begun to cry and Kurt rushed to hold him. Blaine talked in between sobs:

"I've never been through it, Kurt. How do you manage to stay whole? How do you manage to move on after something like this?"

Kurt scuffed his hair:

"You hold on to the people. People come together during grief. Besides, Finn will never really be gone."

"Finn has changed my life, Kurt. He really has."

"That's great, sweetie. You've changed his life as well. That's life: getting together to give meaning to each other's lives."

xXxXx

Kurt and Louisa were busing themselves in the kitchen. Both experienced in losing a loved one, they knew that working on something else would keep their minds on track.

"Kurtie, where's Bowtie? Why isn't he here trying to eat the frosting?"

"He's mourning with Rachel in the living room. He needs to cry and I needed to clear my mind a bit."

She walked closer to her cousin and put herself a finger on the frosting and licking it. He slapped her hands away:

"Why are you here and not there with Brody?"

"He's giving me some room. You know... I'm a Hummel; I grief better with my hands full making comfort food for everyone."

Kurt gave her the best impression of a smile his lips could form. She stopped stirring the pot she was responsible for to hug him:

"We've formed a family here in New York. Us five remaining will really have to be there for each other."

Kurt pursed his lips in agreement:

"We'll be. I'm glad you and Rachel figured everything out before it happened."

"I'd say we kind of sorted it out while it was happening. Anyway, Brody and I figured out what we mean in each other's lives and that helped everything fall into places."

"How's he, speaking of it? He was so close to graduating after we agreed to put the show on and now he's back to square one."

Louisa sighed:

"Well, he's more taken aback about what happened to Finn than the prospect of spending another semester at college."

"Finn was doing so well in rehearsals as the doctor. Actually, he was doing so well with life in general."

Tears started flowing down of Kurt's eyes and Louisa took him in her arms. She looked up and saw Blaine watching them by the doorway. Lou summoned him closer and the three stood enfolded until the doorbell rang.

Blaine got Kurt in his arms while signaling to the girl:

"I've got him. You get the door."

Louisa walked to the living room and saw Burt and Carole deep in conversation with an inconsolable Rachel. Brody was by the door talking formally to someone. She walked closer to him and saw Andrew and Muriel.

"Dad! Grandma! I've seen you've met my boyfriend Brody."

Andrew didn't meet her eyes as he spoke:

"It's important for Burt that we are here."

She smiled at both of them:

"It's important for me too. I'm glad you're here."

xXxXx

Rachel was walking in the cemetery supported by Kurt and Brody. Followed close by Burt and Carole. Louisa stalled Blaine behind so they could have a private conversation. She held his arm:

"So why aren't any of your friends from Ohio here?"

"Rachel didn't want anyone here."

Louisa snorted:

"So now Finn is hers to claim? How about Carole? And Kurt? And his friends? Can't they mourn Finn?"

"There will be a memorial for him in Ohio, but Rachel's decided she's not going. She's not well."

Louisa huffed:

"I know she's not well but that's not the way out of it."

"It's her decision."

"Do you agree with it?"

"My opinion doesn't matter."

"But Blaine..."

Blaine turned unusually sternly to her:

"Enough, Louisa. You're not mistress of the truth when it comes to pain. To each their own."

She wouldn't let him have the last word:

"You can't just start cutting people out!"

"You do it! Very well, I might add."

And then she had no answer for Blaine. They all walked in silence to Finn's final resting place. The only sounds were the occasional sobs from Rachel. When they arrived at the grave, a priest was already waiting for them. Carole went to greet him while the rest took their seats.

Brody came to sit by Louisa on the second row and Blaine took his place with Kurt by Rachel's side. Lou was fuming and shooting deadly glances to the back of Rachel's head so she barely noticed Brody holding her hand.

"You okay, Lou?"

"There are a few things I don't agree with."

"That's not our moment. Let's just listen."

He gave her hand a light squeeze as the priest started his sermon. Louisa paid no attention to what he said and tried to distract herself from her own mind. The priest went on and on and Louisa started to budge on her chair. Burt saw her and mouthed a 'be quiet' to her. It was finally Carole's turn to speak:

"Finn, my beloved son, lost his father at a very young age. Some may say that death haunted him since he was little. However, who knew my son knows that 'haunted' is not a word we can use about Finn. He was solar. He was bright and happy and had an incredible power to irradiate that happiness wherever he went. He was able to bring the best in people. Whenever I think of my son from now on, I'll try to be like him; I'll try to see the light instead of the darkness. Finn, my darling, you were taken from us much too soon. May you find peace. Mom loves you."

Burt stood up and guided her back to her seat. The priest took her place:

"And now Finn's girlfriend would like to say a few words as well."

Rachel stood up and walked the few steps to stand by the coffin. A trace of dry tears visible in her cheeks below her sunglasses. She took a deep breath:

"Carole asked me to say a few words; I don't exactly know what to say. Finn once named a star after him and gave it to me as a Christmas present. He said there was no need of another star named Rachel Berry because there was one already in Earth. He said he'd look after me from the sky. Oh Finn, I hope you do. Because my star went out with you. I'll sing my swan song today because Carole and Burt convinced me it would be what you'd want. But from then on, my voice will go silent. I can't. I can't be a star without you by my side."

There were a few 'ohs' and 'ahs' coming from the audience but Rachel was unmoved by them. She started to sing Pippin's part of the Finale of the namesake show.

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I'm not a river or a giant bird

That soars to the sea

And if I'm never tied to anything

I'll never be free

I wanted magic shows and miracles

Mirages to touch

I wanted such a little thing from life

I wanted so much

I never came close, my love

We nearly came near

It never was there

I think it was here

They showed me crimson, gold and lavender

A shining parade

But there's no color I can have on Earth

That won't finally fade

When I wanted worlds to paint

And costumes to wear

It always was here

It never was there

It never was there

No, it never was there

There was applause when she finished. Rachel didn't bowed or thanked, seeming lost in her own world. Until a voice caught everyone's attention.

"You've skipped an important part of the song, Rachel."

Louisa had stood up from her chair and Rachel was called from her reverie by that act. She looked at Louisa as if trying to solve a mystery. Lou continued:

"Everyone is treating you like you're going to break at any minute, but I know you're not. You lost Finn and that may be a blow you may never recover from. However, you can't let the Rachel he loved die. The song you sang starts with 'think about the sun' and 'think about your dreams'. Don't let your dreams die, Rachel."

"You're getting it all wrong, Louisa. The whole musical is about finding a quiet love and settling down. I had it with Finn and I lost it. My dreams died with him. Someone with new dreams will show up to take my place, as it did in Pippin."

"You're irreplaceable, Rachel.That's not what Finn would have wanted from you."

Rachel lost it and started to shriek:

"And who are you to know what Finn wanted or didn't want!"

Louisa snorted:

"I'm nobody. But you said he gave you a star to match the star you are. Finn believed in you. That's his legacy; don't let it die."

Brody had stood up and placed his hands on Louisa's shoulder. Rachel was getting more and more startled and he begun to pull his girlfriend away:

"Come on, Lou; it's not the moment to make a scene."

She wrestled to get hid of him:

"Someone has to make a scene! It's doing no one any good if Rachel keeps hiding in her pain."

Brody looked at her with pleading eyes:

"Please, Lou; respect her. Let her be; like you like to be left alone."

Louisa rolled her eyes.

"Fine."

They both left the cemetery leaving an awkward silence behind.

xXxXx

They were at Rachel's apartment where Burt and Carole were staying. The ride from the cemetery had gone without further incident, for Louisa and Brody hadn't rejoined them. They had managed to calm Rachel down and were now eating a pizza without much chitchat.

Carole was doing the dishes when Kurt entered the kitchen. She acknowledged him and smiled:

"We haven't had the chance to talk yet."

Kurt pursed his lips and nodded:

"I guess yours is the side of the story I'm afraid to hear."

"What do you mean?"

"I know what it is like to lose a parent. But to lose a son... I mean, I think about dad a lot. If I was too harsh on him by leaving him behind, moving to New York without a glance back. His health is so fragile..."

Carole smiled and took his hand:

"You're such a good boy, Kurt. Your father is fine. I'm there, he's not alone. Besides, he'd never be happy if you weren't happy too. You're a paler version of yourself in Lima; you belong in New York."

His cheeks turned pinker. He caught a furtive tear with his thumb:

"I like what you said at the funeral. Finn really got a way of bringing the best in people."

"He should have pursued his teaching career. He'd be very good helping students out."

Kurt started helping around the kitchen:

"He surely helped me a lot. It was a lot easier being proud of who I am, knowing Finn had my back during High School."

"On the other hand, watching you made Finn come to terms with wanting to be both a football player and a Glee club singer."

Kurt smiled at the memory:

"My brother was really a unique person. He helped so many people just by being who he was."

Carole stopped with the dishes to give her stepson her full attention:

"It kind of brings your cousin to mind."

Kurt was quick in responding, raising his hands:

"I'm so sorry for Louisa during the funeral."

"Well, I wouldn't say I agree to her methods – Louisa has a certain way of being overly dramatic – but I could say I agree with her. It was not the moment to confront Rachel, but I also think Finn wouldn't want her to give up her career."

Kurt bit his lip and looked the other way:

"Not too long ago Finn encouraged Rachel to quit a job that didn't give her the correct emphasis."

"That's my son: always putting other people's wellbeing first. He encouraged her so much to move to New York in the first place. Anyhow, Rachel needs her time to mourn and we all need to learn how to live without him."

"I still think I need to have a talk with Louisa."

Carole stared at him with an intense look:

"If Finn's death taught me anything, is that you need to seize each and every opportunity you have. So maybe... don't be that rough with her."

xXxXx

"For the tenth time, Brody; I'm not mad at you!"

"You're not happy either!"

"Well, a little support wouldn't have hurt."

"Support you in what? Crushing Rachel's heart during her boyfriend's funeral?"

Louisa rolled her eyes:

"I was doing Rachel a favor! Do you want her to quit her brilliant career?"

Brody sighed:

"No, Lou. I also don't think Finn would have wanted it. But... tenderness! There will be a time and a place to talk to Rachel."

Louisa fished her keys out of her bag to open her building's door in silence. They also climbed the stairs without saying a word. Already in her story, she stopped him with a hand on his chest:

"Are you listening?"

"It's music. Why?"

"It's not just any music; it's Next to Normal."

She hurried to open her apartment door and found her father sitting on the couch with a glass of wine in hand and the stereo turned on.

"Oh, there you are. We were waiting for you at Rachel's place, but it started to get late and mom wanted to go to bed early."

Louisa swallowed hard:

"Brody convinced me it wouldn't be the best idea to show up after..."

"It was wise. Care to join me?"

Andrew said jiggling the bottle of wine. Brody nodded in response and Louisa produced another glass for him:

"Not for me, it crashes with my medicine and I need my drugs on full mode tonight."

Brody looked at her with real concern:

"Finn's death did take it's toll on you."

She scratched her neck a little embarrassed:

"I'm usually not that obnoxious."

Brody hugged her with one arm while Andrew spoke to no one in particular:

"Well... you don't have to be happy at all to be happy you're alive."

Louisa faced him with bugged eyes:

"Dad, are you quoting and listening to Next to Normal?"

"Guilty as charged. I got curious ever since... well, that night."

Brody also looked at him astonished:

"It's not just curiosity, you really know the lyrics."

Andy gave him a small smile:

"It's a way into Louisa's brain."

Brody agreed:

"It's very educational. Helped me a lot to figure out our little darling here."

The girl had a gleam in her eyes:

"You guys better stop or I'll start to cry."

Brody kissed her temple. Andrew watched them fondly:

"It would have been nice to see you two on stage."

The boy shrugged:

"We were rehearsing it again, but Finn and Rachel were on the cast."

Andy sipped his wine:

"But have you had that conversation? The rest of the cast wanted to stop it? I'm not the one to talk, since I barely knew Finn; but from what I've been hearing about him, he seems like the guy who would enjoy having a show played in his memory."

Brody turned to Louisa:

"So what do you think, pookie? Should we go on with the show?"

"I'm in. The question is; can we convince the others?"

xXxXx

"I think we should do it."

Kurt looked astonished at his fiancé because of his answer.

"Blee, do you think it's sensitive being back on the stage so soon after what happened?"

"Why not, Kurt? Finn loved singing and acting; he'd like to see us doing it in his memory. You were the one who taught me that distracting your head with something else could help us grief."

Kurt turned and grabbed Rachel's hand:

"What do you think, honey? Do you think it's tacky?"

She was staring into the horizon as she answered:

"I think Carole would like it – she was the one who convinced me to sing at the funeral. It would help Brody to graduate. But I'm not setting a foot on that stage."

Brody took her other hand:

"We don't want to hurt your feelings, Rach."

The corner of her lips raised a little:

"I don't have a problem with people wanting to pay tribute to Finn in whatever way they see fit. But I made my decision; I won't sing or dance anymore."

Blaine spoke in an uncertain voice:

"Rachel, I don't think you should quit. The way you and Carole spoke about him, about him being like a sun or a star that would guide you forever. I think you should use that light. It would show what you've learned from Finn about confidence, about not being ashamed of being who you are."

Kurt intervened:

"My wacky brother taught me to be proud of who I am. I'd like to sing for him once more. I didn't get a chance to sing at the funeral."

"I believe it was my fault."

Blaine spoke not leaving many chances for Louisa to elaborate her thoughts:

"I doesn't matter why now. Care to join me, Kurt? I'd like to sing for Finn and Rachel."

He went for the piano on their apartment and begun to softly play the first notes of Here Comes the Sun from the Beatles. Kurt went and sat by his side, joining in the duet.

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Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun,

and I say, It's all right

Little darling

It's been a long, cold lonely winter

Little darling

It feels like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun,

and I say, It's all right

Little darling

The smiles returning to the faces

Little darling

It seems like years since it's been here

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun,

and I say, It's all right

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Sun, sun, sun, here it comes

Little darling

I feel that ice is slowly melting

Little darling

It seems like years since it's been clear

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun,

and I say, It's all right

Here comes the sun

Here comes the sun

It's all right

It's all right

When they finished, Rachel raised her glass in a toast:

"To Finn, our sun."

The other joined her:

"To Finn."

xXxXx

Louisa and Brody were walking back to her apartment hand in hand. She swayed their linked hands to get his attention:

"So we're pulling up a play."

He smiled tiredly:

"We still need a Diana and a Doctor. Then yes, we're pulling a play."

She bit her lip and was a little fidgety as she spoke:

"About that, I needed to talk to you."

Brody turned to her giving her his full attention. She took a big breath:

"Since we're finding a new actress, I wanted to play Diana."

His smile was real this time:

"Really?"

"I want to face my fears. I think I'm ready. Finn's death made me realize that all my reasons to hide are feeble. I want to be proud of who I am; flaws and everything."

He lifted her up in the air and started to spin:

"That's the most wonderful news, Lou. I'm so proud of you."

"I'm kind of proud of myself too. It means therapy is working, it means I have a wonderful support net. I want to honor it; I want to wear my heart on my sleeve."

He kissed her. She responded but then broke the kiss and held both his hands:

"I want to sing to you. Some things I've been whiling to say."

He chuckled:

"So Hummel of you."

Louisa begun to sing Suddenly from Les Misérables movie. She made eye contact with him the whole song and she smiled with her eyes as she made the link of her past and her present in one song.

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Suddenly you're here,

Suddenly it starts

Can two anxious hearts

Beat as one?

Yesterday I was alone

Today you walk beside me,

Something still unclear,

Something not yet here

Has begun

Suddenly the world

Seems a different place

Somehow full of grace,

Full of light.

How was I to know that so much hope

Was held inside me?

What is past is gone,

Now we journey on through the night

How was I to know at last

That happiness can come so fast?

Trusting me the way you do

I'm so afraid of failing you

Just a child who cannot know

That danger follows where I go

There are shadows everywhere

And memories I cannot share...

Nevermore alone

Nevermore apart

You have warmed my heart

Like the sun.

You have brought the gift of life

And love, so long denied me.

Suddenly I see

What I could not see

Something suddenly

Has begun

When she finished, pulled her hand to kiss her knuckles. She smiled:

"I think I owe it to Finn, to you, to my family that I go into this memorial play as myself."

"I think you're making all of us proud."

xXxXx

It was a bright white space filled with fog. Rachel wasn't so sure as to when or how she had arrived there. Until she saw him in a distance: Finn was walking towards her with a wide smile.

"Finn, my love, you're here."

He nodded. Finn took his hand to her cheek but he couldn't quite touch her. She stood still feeling a faint reminder of his smell.

"But you can't talk to me."

He shook his head in response. Somehow, she knew what was going through his mind.

"You're fine. And you have a message for me. But Finn, how are you going to give me this message?"

He signaled his ears and Rachel started to hear a song. It was far and it sounded like Finn. But he wasn't singing; he was just standing there and smiling at her. She begun to distinguish the words. She knew that song, it was Morning Glow from Pippin. His eyes begged her to listen closely.

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Why won't my hands stop shaking

When all the Earth is still

When ancient ghosts are waking

So many steps need taking

So many plans need making

I think I will

I think I will

Morning glow, morning glow

Starts to glimmer when you know

Winds of change are set to blow

And sweep this whole land through

Morning glow is long past due

Morning glow fill the earth

Come and shine for all you're worth

We'll be present at the birth

Of old faith looking new

Morning glow is long past due

Oh, morning glow, I'd like to help you grow

We should have started long ago

So, morning glow all day long

While we sing tomorrow's song

Never knew we could be so strong

But now it's very clear

Morning glow is almost here

Morning glow by your light

We can make the new day bright

And the phantoms of the night

Will fade into the past

Morning glow is here

Rachel understood the message and started singing too:

We got magic to do

Just for you

Finn's smile grew larger:

At last!

Rachel woke up with a smile and she knew what she had to do. She took her phone and typed a message for Brody.

I'm in.

xXxXx

Kurt took another sip from his mocha:

"But Rach, what made you change your mind?"

She smiled:

"Finn did."

Brody looked at her with one eyebrow raised:

"In a dream?"

She chuckled:

"I'm not saying the actual ghost of Finn descended from Heaven just to speak to me. No, it was more like a piece of Finn will always be alive inside of me. One of the last things he did on this Earth was convince me to quit Spring Awakening because I deserved more. I have a feeling that Next to Normal will open the doors for me."

Carole stood up and went to kiss Rachel's cheek:

"Finn would be so happy."

Rachel played with her necklace pendant:

"I just have one condition."

Brody waved his arms:

"Anything Rachel."

"I want all of our friends from Ohio to be here. If we're doing it for Finn, let's have all of his friends over."

Blaine started typing a group message in his phone:

"That's... done with. Now we just need someone to play the doctor."

The most unexpected person cleared his through. Andrew had been quiet so far, but he seemed to have something to add:

"Does it have to be a NYADA student?"

Brody answered:

"No. I mean, they were okay with Finn doing it for my graduation."

Andrew smirked:

"I know all the lines."

xXxXx

Burt saw all the familiar faces of the Glee club kids sitting in the audience. Even Mr. Schue and his wife had come. They all greeted him and Carole. His mother called him from the front row:

"Come you two; I've saved you seats. It's about to start."

He and Carole where walking down to the places when she elbowed him:

"Have you seen the playbill? It says: 'Finn Hudson, the price of love is loss, but still we pay. We love anyway.'"

Burt smiled:

"Sounds like Finn."

They found their seats and the lights went off. Music. Louisa turned on a light on the stage. She sat alone in a chair not acknowledging the audience. Brody entered and said his first line. Louisa replied with hers. No accidents this time, the play went on.

Burt had a great time. The kids were magnificent, all born talents. Even his brother didn't compromise much of it. He barely saw the time passing when Carole whispered in his ear:

"They are going for the last song."

Kurt sat alone in the dark. Rachel entered for the last scene.

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Natalie:

We need some light.

First of all,

We need some light.

You can't sit here

In the dark,

And all alone,

It's a sorry sight.

It's just you and me.

We'll live.

You'll see.

She turned on a lamp. They are doing Light. Kurt took Rachel's hands for his part.

Dan:

Night after night,

We'd sit and wait

For the morning light.

But we've waited far too long

For all that's wrong

To be made right.

Louisa appeared in the top of a stair. She had a fierce look about her.

Diana:

Day after day,

Wishing all our cares away.

Trying to fight the things we feel,

But some hurts never heal.

Some ghosts are never gone,

But we go on.

We still go on.

And you find some way to survive.

And you find out you don't have

To be happy at all,

To be happy you're alive.

The lights turned on Blaine, he played a scene with Rachel and embraced her in the end. She sang from his arms:

Natalie:

Day after day,

Give me clouds, and rain, and grey.

Give me pain if that's what's real—

The lights moved on stage again. They focused on Andrew also entering the stage.

Natalie & Doctor Madden:

It's the price we pay to feel.

Doctor Madden and Diana:

The price of love is loss...

Doctor Madden:

But still we pay...

Doctor Madden and Dan:

We love anyway...

Kurt rejoins the stage for his last scene with his uncle. They finish sitting and talking while the lights now showed Brody on top of a different stair.

Gabe:

And when they night has fin'ly gone,

And when we see the new day dawn,

We'll wonder how we wandered for

So long, so blind.

The wasted world we thought we knew—

The light will make it look brand new.

Finally they are all on the stage together. A spotlight illuminating each of them. They stare directly to the audience.

All:

So let it...

Let it...

Let it...

Shine!

Shine!

Shine!

Day after day,

We'll find the will to find our way,

Knowing that the darkest sky

Will someday see the sun—

They all held their hands and Kurt started to sing.

Dan:

When our long night is done...

Rachel's voice joined in and she squeezed Kurt's hand harder.

Dan & Natalie:

There will be light...

A big photo showing a smiling Finn is project behind them.

All:

There will be light.

When we open up our lives,

Sons and daughters,

Husbands, wives—

And fight that fight...

There will be light.

There will be light...

There will be light...

There will be light!

xXxXx

Blaine entered the dressing room again looking for his fiancé.

"Kurt, come on; they are all waiting for you. Louisa closed Coffee'N'Stuff just for us."

"I'm going, I'm going; I just need to make sure my skin is being cared for. You know it takes time."

"I know you're doing it all over again once we get home."

Kurt looked at him through the mirror and opened up a smile:

"You know me so well and still love me the same way."

Blaine went to sit by his side, touching Kurt's arm:

"You also agreed to marry me and put up with all my silliness."

"Are you sure you still want it? You now know my family very well and you know the Hummels make the Goodman's from Next to Normal look perfectly normal, thank you very much."

"I love you and your family. To you I can confess, I even love your cousin."

Kurt rolled his eyes:

"You and Louisa still holding to that grudge. Speaking of her, where is she? I wanted to congratulate her for her performance tonight. It's so good to see she could handle all the aspects of playing Diana."

"Last time I saw her, she and Brody were making each other's faces out in the middle of the atrium."

"My cousin Louisa? She's not a shy lamb anymore?"

Blaine chuckled:

"I think it was a year of growing and maturing for the Hummels."

Kurt rewarded him with a kiss. They left the dressing room to find the auditorium and the surrounding corridors completely empty. Blaine took Kurt's hand:

"They are probably already at the coffee house."

They started walking slowly, enjoying each other's company. Kurt turned to Blaine:

"Have you heard Rachel's news?"

"No; what?"

"Some producers watched the show tonight and invited her to be the Leading Player in Pippin."

"But that's like the female leading role!"

"Exactly! She says it's Finn's doing, that Pippin would be the role of his life and that it's his gift for her."

They continued to chitchat all their way to the bookstore. Kurt opened the door and looked up to the mezzanine, all he could see was a pair of red converses. Both feet relaxed, very at ease with their surroundings. How far had they come in a year.