Music was truly a balm to his soul, Kurt thought as he sat under the oak tree. He had a small blanket underneath him, a book and thermos of tea next to him and his earbuds in his ears. It was as perfect a moment as he could get at this point. Having left Friday and spent all of Saturday and now Sunday by himself was healing something inside him. Burying himself in music, his favorite books and the shops in the town nearby acted as a sort of therapy. But it wasn't perfect. It would never be perfect, not without Blaine.

It seemed as if every song was reminding him of his love for Blaine.

"I can't win, I can't reign
I will never win this game
Without you, without you

I am lost, I am vain,
I will never be the same
Without you, without you

I won't run, I won't fly
I will never make it by
Without you, without you

I can't rest, I can't fight
All I need is you and I,
Without you, without you"

He irritably skipped to the next song. Grimacing, he went to skip this one too, but his hand fell away and he leaned his head back against the tree. Thoughts of Blaine filled his mind. The first time he saw him on the stairs at Dalton, those golden eyes looking so deep into his. How his heart had pounded listening to him sing that first time. The strength he gave Kurt to find courage and confront Karofsky. All the moments of opening up to someone like himself for once. Able to be who he truly was, withholding nothing. All of his joys, fears, dreams; he'd shared everything with Blaine. That magical moment when Blaine had declared himself and touched his lips to Kurt's. His heart had threatened to explode with the joy of that moment.

The first time ever I saw your face

I thought the sun rose in your eyes

And the moon and the stars were gifts

You gave to the dark and the endless skies
The first time ever I kissed your mouth
I felt the earth move in my hands
Like the trembling heart of a captive bird
That was then at my command, my love

The first time ever I lay with you
I felt your heart so close to mine
And I knew our joy would fill the earth
And last til the end of time, my love
The first time ever I saw your face
Your face, your face, your face

Tears streamed down Kurt's face. He had hoped to have that moment, that first joyous time, with Blaine. To explore their passion for one another. But more than that, he had hoped to explore the world, enjoy what life had to offer, live and love each other. His deepest hope had been to spend the rest of his life with Blaine. Now life seemed empty. He hummed along with the song, letting the tears fall freely. He could practically hear Blaine whispering his name and he squeezed his eyes as if he could shut it out of his mind. He heard his name again and opened his eyes.

"Kurt?"

A hand touched his shoulder and he reacted instinctively and jumped up and darted away, his earbuds falling out and landing on the grass.

"Kurt! It's me!" came Blaine's voice from behind him.

He whipped around and saw his face. Blaine's face. That dark hair, free from gel, wildly curly around his face. Those golden eyes looking at him with such worry.

"I'm sorry I frightened you, Kurt. Please, can we talk?" he asked, walking slowly toward Kurt. He bent down to pick up the iPod from the ground and tossed it back toward Kurt's blanket.

Kurt stared at him warily, his heart still pounding from shock. "How did you find me?"

Blaine walked a little closer until he saw Kurt backing away, and he stopped where he was. "Your dad. I had a long talk with him and he agreed to tell me where you were. He said he'd kill me if I hurt you any further," he said with a sad smile. "I checked your hotel and when you weren't there, I drove around for a while and realized this place wasn't too far. It's kind of our spot. I was glad to find you here. Kurt, I," he began.

"No, Blaine. If we're having this talk here and now, I get to go first," Kurt said adamantly, though he was still trying to adjust to seeing Blaine in front of him.

"Of course, please," Blaine said, lifting his hand to Kurt.

Kurt took a step toward him, but Blaine didn't move. Kurt glared into his eyes. "You betrayed me. I trusted you like I trusted nobody else on this earth. That guy, Liam? He attacked me, assaulted me, Blaine. He hurt me. And when you came around that corner I was so, so," his voice broke and tears once more poured from his eyes at the memory. "I was so relieved, so happy to see you there. I knew that, like with Karofsky, you had my back. That you would be there for me and help me. And you didn't! You know what, Blaine? That hurt me more than that guy breaking my lips open with his mouth." Kurt paused, seeing the blatant anguish on Blaine's face, the tears on his face. He had to get this out, though. For himself. "It hurt more than Sebastian punching me, which he said was on your behalf, I might add. None of that hurt as much as you accusing me of cheating on you and walking out on me when I needed you most. You ripped my heart out, Blaine. You let me down at the worst moment of my life," he said quietly. He felt drained and leaned against a nearby tree, wiping his face with the sleeve of his sweater.

"Kurt, I am going to be honest. I put Sebastian before you that night. I chose to believe his lies over the truth standing right in front of me. I am so sorry for that. It was the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life. No matter what I saw or thought, alcohol or not, I should have been there for you. You were attacked, again. My god, I am so damn sorry, Kurt. I can't even begin to imagine what you must be going through. And there I was, the one who should have been there to protect and defend you and I turned on you. I was drunk, but that is not an excuse. I love you and drunk or sober, I let you down. I abandoned you in your time of need," Blaine stopped for a moment and swiped at his face with his own sleeve. His voice grew stronger as he continued. "There is nothing I can do or say to ever make this right. But I swear to you that I love you and will never let you down again if you will give me the chance to prove it to you. I've had a lot of time to think over this past week, a lot of time to realize what I've done, what I've lost in you. Kurt, you made me a better person. You came into my life like, like this ball of light. You helped me free myself from more than the Dalton uniform, you freed me from the boundaries I put on myself. I am a better person with you and I can't truly live my life without you. I love you and I hope that over our time together that I have made an impact on your life, too. I like to hope that I have. We are good together." He put up his hand as Kurt started to speak. "Please, I'm almost done. Kurt, I know you can't trust me right now, but I will do whatever it takes, whatever you need, to make this right. You are perfect to me, Kurt. Please, will you think about this and give me, give us, a chance?"

Kurt stood there, staring at him, hitching sobs shaking him. Blaine took a step, then another towards him. He was almost within touching distance when he stopped. Kurt still hadn't spoken.

Blaine looked into his eyes, his voice pleading. "When I sang to you on Friday, I meant each of those words. I will do whatever it takes, pick up these broken pieces of our relationship and put it all back together. I will try each and every day to show you how much I love you and how much you mean to me." Slowly, so slowly, he reached out and wiped a tear from Kurt's cheek. The simple touch sent heat through his body, like coming home. Kurt stood there, still looking at him, his blue-green eyes luminous. Still hesitant, Blaine gently cupped Kurt's face with one hand and took a gasping breath when Kurt closed his eyes and nestled deeper into his hand. Blaine reached up and placed his other hand gently against the still bruised side of his love's face.

"Blaine," Kurt moaned, and moved into Blaine's arms. Blaine cried out and embraced him, burrowing Kurt's head into his arms. They stood there wrapped in each other, crying for several minutes. Slowly their tears ebbed and still they didn't move, not wanting the moment to end. Kurt was so scared to hope. But this was what he'd needed. Blaine had admitted what he did and agreed it was wrong. He knew what had really happened and he'd apologized. He wanted so badly to believe him and trust in him again.

Raising his head, he looked into Blaine's golden gaze, so warm and yet so hesitant. Kurt moved until they were nose to nose and, keeping his eyes open, pressed his lips softly to Blaine's. The gentle touch sent shockwaves through his body. It was good and right. His lids fluttered shut and he deepened the kiss, hearing Blaine's moan vibrate through his lips. Blaine pressed into him more firmly and Kurt gasped at the small pain that was still in his lip.

Blaine jerked back quickly, looking down at the nearly healed cut. "God, Kurt, I am so sorry, I didn't even think that kissing might hurt you or upset you," he said, horrified.

Kurt closed the distance and kissed him again before smiling gently at him. "It was just a twinge. The kiss was perfect, Blaine. Just what I needed."

Blaine's smile was glorious, like a sun rising in the sky. "Do you think you might need another?"

"I believe I do," Kurt said and lowered his mouth to Blaine's.

Kurt leaned against Blaine on the blanket he'd brought, Blaine's arms wrapped firmly around him. Kurt felt warm and safe, a feeling he hadn't known he'd be able to get back. But there was one last detail he had to know.

"Blaine?"

"Yes?"

"What about Sebastian? How does he fit into all this now?" Kurt asked, his entire body suddenly tense.

Blaine gave a rough laugh. "Sebastian has been taken care of," he said, showing Kurt his scabbed over knuckles.

Kurt sat up and grabbed his hands. "What the hell happened?"

"I did what I should have done last week. I showed him that nobody messes with my boyfriend and walks away from it," Blaine said firmly. He told Kurt all that Sebastian had confessed and some of the details of how Blaine got revenge.

Kurt looked at him, worried. "Is he going to report you?"

"Nope. Not a chance. We got a confession from Liam, Kurt. On video. Well, not we, but from your friends in glee. They set it all up. It turns out that Sebastian paid Liam to kiss you so I would break up with you. I was fool enough to fall for it. But now that we have proof and both of their asses have been kicked, they can't do anything," Blaine said, rubbing Kurt's cold hands between his own.

Kurt's face was blank, taking in what he'd heard. Sebastian paid to have him assaulted. He realized Blaine was stroking his arms and talking to him.

"Kurt, it's okay. Everything is going to be alright. Your dad is going to take care of everything. Both of them will be brought up on charges, Liam especially," Blaine said, trying to comfort him.

"You told my dad?" Kurt cried. Worry for his father's heart and the anguish he would go through coursed through him.

"I had to. He had to know. What they did to you was a crime. It wasn't like Karofsky who was a scared, confused bully, though he should have been arrested too. This was a planned thing with money involved. I had to tell your dad and he was glad I did. He understands why you didn't say anything, but he is doing what needs to be done," Blaine replied.

"But, everyone will know," Kurt began.

"Kurt, would you want to risk Liam doing the same thing to someone else? Or something worse? If he's willing to take money to assault you, what else would he be willing to do?" Blaine said quietly, his gaze intent.

Kurt thought for a while and knew Blaine was right. "Thank you, Blaine. I don't think I would have ever told my dad. But you're right. It would be unthinkable if he tried to do that to someone else."

Blaine lifted Kurt's chin and stared into his endless eyes. "It was bad enough that he did it to you." He kissed the bruise on Kurt's chin, his cheek, the corner of his mouth and finally on his lips, both of them sighing in pleasure.

Back at the hotel, Blaine sat on the bed and watched as Kurt folded up his clothes. He'd talked to his dad and told him Blaine had found him and that he'd be home in the morning. He hadn't said anything about where Blaine would be.

"Dinner was nice," Blaine said.

"It was," Kurt said, his stomach filled with butterflies. He finished packing up his backpack and turned to face his boyfriend. "Blaine?"

"Yes?"

"Will you spend the night with me?" Kurt asked, his voice confident and sure. He was nervous, but he knew what he wanted. He knew who he wanted.

"Um, by spend the night, you mean?" Blaine asked, looking a little nervous himself.

"I want to be with you, Blaine," he responded, walking until he was standing in front of him.

Blaine stood and took Kurt's hands in his. "Are you sure? I don't want you to feel pressured."

"I'm the one who asked you," Kurt pointed out with a smile.

"True," Blaine said and swallowed loudly.

"Why, Blaine, are you nervous?" Kurt teased.

"It's not just your first time," he responded, pulling Kurt into his arms.

"But it won't be our last," Kurt promised before sealing his lips to those of the man he loved.