By the middle of January, Carole found herself suddenly being tasked with keeping a sharp eye on Blaine and Kurt. Burt, despite his hopes of the two getting together, had started putting his foot down. The door to Kurt's room stayed open now. The boys had only laughed (and then blushed at Burt's sex talk) but Carole wasn't worried. Not right now. In another few months, when the rush of Blaine's departure really set in, then they might start moving towards something they weren't ready for, but for now little had changed.

The boys spent a few evenings at Burt's house and a few out to dinner or at plays or movies. They held hands like they always had, sat close (sometimes with their heads on each other's shoulder), and grinned wider than they ever had before. There were a few sweet pecks here and there, but for the most part anything physical happened out of sight. Carole trusted them to know what was right and how to pace their relationship. Burt, however, was only getting more hysterical.

"And the door," he hollered down the stairs, "stays open. How many times do I have to tell you, Kurt?"

Carole shook her head as Burt nudged the wide open door back against the wall and sat a little door prop under it.

"You're being ridiculous," she said when he sat back down with her.

"That door was barely ajar–"

"It has been wide open every minute they've been downstairs since Christmas," Carole said. Burt glowered at her. "Trust them, will you? I do."

"They're teenage boys, Carole," Burt said gruffly. "I remember being that age. I was a horny little son of a–"

"Kurt and Blaine are different," Carole cut in. She handed him the remote and pulled another blanket off the back of the couch. "Even if they are like that," she added, "what they have is different."

"That doesn't mean they won't– won't," Burt stammered to a halt and leaned his head on his hand. "I don't want them rushing into this. To regret their first time like I did."

"I highly doubt they'll do it in the back seat of a station wagon when they're tipsy," Carole said gently. "They're falling in love, Burt. As long as they go at their own pace – and they are – then they won't regret whatever they share together."

"Won't he though?" Burt said after a moment. He flipped through a few channels and sighed. "What if he regrets all of this after Blaine's gone?"

Carole said nothing. She couldn't deny what Burt said. They'd both confessed their own bitter feelings about their spouses' deaths in the months after they had happened. It was an inevitable part of healing, and one that had to be moved past.

"He'll have us," she said as Burt settled on a sitcom. "We've been there. We can help him through this, when the time comes."

"I wish Time wouldn't do anything anymore," Burt grumbled.

He wasn't the only one. The two love struck boys downstairs were both silently wishing for the same. Carole was certain of it.

"None of this is going to be easy," she said instead of continuing their dark line of conversation. "For now, I think we should let them enjoy what they can have together. Don't you? You did before this."

"I'm just," Burt paused and sighed again. "I- I'm scared for him. How bad is this going to hurt him? What if we can't piece him back together? What if– god, what if I lose him, too, Carole?"

Two pairs of feet came trampling up the stairs, and a second later Blaine and Kurt appeared, hand in hand as always.

"Can we order pizza for dinner?"

"Sure," Carole said, answering for Burt, who still looked stricken. "Pick a place and call. We'll have a large cheese."

Kurt beamed and skipped away into the kitchen with Blaine at his side. Their smiles radiated a light Carole had no name for. It wasn't artificial like the bulbs around them, or hot and potent like the sun outside. There was a soft warmth to them now, something irreplaceable that Burt had clearly noticed, too.

"Has Blaine ever mentioned soulmates around you?" Carole asked. She snuggled up to Burt's side and tried to get him to relax a little.

"Hmm? What, like, the 'once in a life time, you'll never have another' type? No," Burt said, still sounding distracted. "Why?"

"Did you know you and Elizabeth were?" Carole asked. "I mean, legitimate soulmates in whatever system they have in the Between. Blaine talked about it with me once."

Burt frowned and finally looked away from the kitchen. Kurt was talking on the phone, sounding thrilled at the various toppings they were picking. "So they're real? Truly real?"

"Yeah," Carole said. "He said there's some marker that stops and lists all of them for a person."

Burt cleared his throat and stared at her. "What about you and Chris? Same as me and Elizabeth?"

"I didn't ask," she said in surprise. "I didn't need to. Same way I didn't need to ask with us."

That brought a soft smile to Burt's face. "You and me? How's that possible if we both already met ours?"

"According to Blaine, you can have more than one," she told him. "There's a set list once that marker stops and those are your possible soulmates, if you're lucky enough to meet them. Some people have a bunch, others only have one."

"I like having you as a soulmate," Burt said. He finally relaxed and kissed her. "How'd you two even get on such a topic? I never would have thought to ask about that."

Carole looked towards the kitchen as Kurt hung the phone up. From her spot on the couch she could just seen them, moving into each other's arms and kissing eagerly. "Blaine thinks he's Kurt's. He and Kurt both only have one."

Burt stiffened against her. From the kitchen, Kurt and Blaine laughed and then squealed. It was something Carole had been wanting to bring up for a while, but the timing had never felt right. Christmas and New Year's had been too busy. Her parents had come into town, Burt's sister-in-law had come to visit her only nephew, and the hospital, as always during the holidays, had been hectic. But now, when Burt was starting to pull against what he'd been encouraging was the best chance she would get.

"Did he say who his was?" Burt swallowed and stared towards the kitchen, too.

"No," Carole admitted. "He isn't allowed to know his own since they never met. He could see mine and yours and a lot of others, but not his and not Kurt's. He's just guessing."

Burt picked the remote back up and started flipping quickly through channels. After a few minutes, he spoke. "It makes sense, doesn't it? If they're... if they're," he swallowed again and shook his head. "Why else would all of this stuff be happening? Him coming back for Kurt twice, us all finding out the truth, and those two..."

From the kitchen, Kurt gave a helpful little squeal of delight. "Blaine, stop! That tickles!"

"And Blaine dying when he did," Carole added. She'd been thinking about it a lot lately and wondered how much thought Blaine had put into it beyond his suspicions. "If Kurt is, then they never would have met if he hadn't died how and when he did, would they? Not in any way that would have been possible for them."

It was a morbid thought that made her feel queasy, but having Burt nod at her words made her feel better. She wasn't the only one then. If it made sense to Burt, then maybe there was a possibility of it being true. Blaine had died in order for these two to meet, even if it was only briefly. Life was more complicated and harder than she'd ever thought.

The boys shuffled back past them, all grins and soft touches as they headed back downstairs. Kurt nudged the door back to its original cracked state and Burt stayed silent. He watched them disappear, talking about something ridiculous Rachel had done in Glee Club that afternoon. They were both quiet as the television droned in the background and Carole rested her cheek on his shoulder. Being soulmates wouldn't change Burt's feelings of how the boys' relationship progressed, but it might at least ease some of his fears.

"We should get married."

Carole blinked and yawned. Then Burt's words caught her. She sat back in surprise, expecting Burt with a ring box down on one knee even though she was still holding his arm between them.

"W- what?"

"That wasn't– I–" Burt rubbed his face and twisted slightly.

"Is that how you propose to all your future wives?" Carole said after a moment.

Burt shook his head quickly, looking embarrassed and uncomfortable. "No! This wasn't– I was going to– future wife? Is that a yes?"

"If you ask it instead of suggesting it, then you might know," Carole teased. Her chest thudded wildly at the excitement suddenly bubbling in her. For a while, she'd thought they were heading down this road, but she hadn't expected this so suddenly. Clearly, Burt hadn't either judging by his expression.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, smiling awkwardly and holding up his empty hand. "I've been meaning to buy a ring, but–"

"I don't need a fancy engagement ring," Carole said, unable to contain her grin. "I will be happy to marry you, Burt Hummel."

"I–"

"Kurt! Your dad and Carole just got engaged!"

Burt and Caroled jerked around and saw a hazel eye and a triangular eyebrow peering through the cracked door way.

"And they're looking at me now," Blaine added loudly. His eye disappeared as he stomped down the stairs. "Find somewhere to hide me!"

"What do you mean engaged?" came Kurt's shrill voice. "Dad, are you two getting married? Can I plan it? I've got folders of ideas down here somewhere..."

As Kurt trailed off, Carole started laughing. Burt joined her as they leaned in and kissed each other once more.

"I can't believe they're getting married," Mercedes said. Blaine finished changing his books out as Mercedes and Rachel circled around Kurt a few lockers down. All week they'd been saying the same thing with the same excited grins. Word had spread fast, somehow beating all of them to school the morning after the engagement.

"They're letting me plan everything," Kurt's thrilled voice said from behind his locker door. Blaine shut his own and listened to Kurt riffling through papers and notebooks. "I have so many ideas, but I don't know when they want to get married. I think autumn would be nice. Don't you think so, Blaine?"

As Kurt shut his locker door and held up a color scheme, Blaine nodded. "Sure, I think any season could be nice if you pick the right theme and colors."

Rachel bounced on the balls of her feet and gave a little squeal. "Oh, can we please sing at the wedding? We could all be the reception band, and I, of course, can sing lead and I have entire catalogue of solos and–"

"I'm sure we'll get it figured out by the fall," Blaine said as Kurt tucked the paper into a notebook and smiled at him. Blaine shivered a little at the look, the bright chasms that sucked him right in. "Mind if I borrow Kurt now? I, um, well–"

Mercedes started giggling so hard she had to lean on Rachel.

"Is it boyfriend time again?" Rachel huffed, looking annoyed. "Honestly, you two are together every second–"

"But they can't make out with us around," Finn said from behind her. Rachel blushed as she glanced straight up at him. Blaine twisted his fingers with Kurt's as Finn gave them a little head nod. "Go on," he said. "I'll cover if you're late for class. Beiste usually doesn't care much anyway."

Blushing, they said goodbye for the afternoon and shuffled down the hall to the back door. Since they'd come back from break three weeks ago, Finn had been around a lot more. Getting the others to give them a few minutes alone, sitting with their little group at lunch, and seeming a lot more aware of what their future held than Blaine thought possible. He'd asked Kurt before the first day back had finished if Finn knew about him, but Kurt shook his head. None of them had said a word to Finn. They didn't think he'd understand or remember to keep quiet about it, according to Carole. Blaine wasn't so sure though. Finn might have severe moments of mind-blowing stupidity, but he was incredibly in tune when it counted.

"It's really nice of Finn to keep doing this," Blaine said as they Kurt pushed through the building's side door and paused in the stairwell. This had become their favorite spot in the last week. It was rarely occupied at this time of day, and the little alcove under the second flight of stairs was just big enough for them to squeeze into.

Kurt only smiled as he tugged Blaine against his chest and leaned back against the wall. "Hi," he giggled as Blaine pecked him on the lips.

"Hi yourself, beautiful," Blaine whispered back. Their smiles met briefly as Kurt unbuttoned Blaine's layered sweater and tucked his arms under it. "Are you using me as your personal heater again?"

"Isn't that what boyfriends are for?" Kurt teased. Face warm as Kurt's hands rubbed over his spine, Blaine pressed a little closer and kissed Kurt longer. They'd been slowly building towards being intimate. After their New Year's date they'd both had a long talk about what exactly they were comfortable with and communicating that to each other.

They held each other tightly for several minutes, lips moving gently and carefully. Blaine's stomach tugged as Kurt smiled against his lips. Moments like this should last a lifetime, should be stretched out so thin that nobody ever had to say goodbye to them. As Kurt let the wall take his weight, Blaine coaxed his lips apart and gave the lower one a soft nibble. Kurt's breath hitched and Blaine smiled so hard he had to stop. That was something he'd only discovered a few days ago, but every moment alone he tried to do it again, to get that same wonderful reaction from Kurt.

"Do that again," Kurt mumbled, eyes flickering open to stare at Blaine. "I really like that one."

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm," Kurt murmured as he kissed Blaine's cheek and then leaned a little further and kissed the soft skin under his earlobe. Blaine's body reacted immediately, his leg spasming and rocking him forward against Kurt. "As much as you like that spot."

"Not f- fair," Blaine stammered. "That's really–" He groaned loudly as Kurt kissed that spot again and then pulled back in embarrassment. Neither of them had made such a noise before. They'd only truly made out, with open mouthed kisses, once and it had been brief.

"Blaine?"

Kurt reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"I– sorry, that wasn't appropriate," Blaine said awkwardly. "I didn't mean to, um, to–"

"Groan?" Kurt said shyly. "It was nice. I mean, we've never let that happen before, but... we could, couldn't we?" He gave Blaine a beet red smile and ducked his head. "I don't mean, like, n- nudity or something, but we could... get closer, for longer. If you wanted."

Blaine smiled slightly and nodded. "Um, yeah, we could... I'd like that."

"Okay. Now kiss me again before the bell."

Arms around each other they almost didn't notice the door from the parking lot open. They pulled back quickly and found Karofsky staring at them in apparent horror.

"What the hell are you doing?" he demanded as the door slapped shut behind him. "You stupid queers and your–"

Blaine took Kurt by the hand and they headed towards the door back to the hallway. "I'll see you in class," Blaine said to Karofsky instead of biting the slurs still spluttering from the other boy's mouth.

"Blaine, are–"

"I'll walk you to class," Blaine said as Kurt nervously looked over his shoulder. "Just in case he gets any ideas. I'm safer alone than you are," Blaine added at Kurt's expression. "Dead and all of that."

"You can still get hurt," Kurt said furiously. "Just like you got sick when you thought you couldn't. What if–"

But Kurt couldn't finish the thought. He glowered at Blaine as they hurried upstairs to Kurt's last class.

"I don't need to be protected," Kurt said as they stopped outside the room. "I can defend myself just fine."

"Did I ever say you couldn't?" Blaine replied more sharply than he'd meant to. "I just– I'm here to help you and I can't do that if he– I just want you to be safe, Kurt. I don't trust him and we still don't know how to get him to stop."

"Fine," Kurt huffed. He accepted a quick kiss on the cheek. "I do like being walked to class by my boyfriend," he added reluctantly. "You're cute enough that I want to show you off."

Blaine laughed and hurried off as the late bell rang. He raced downstairs, changed quickly in the boys' locker room and joined the guys in the weight room. Puck gave his a wolf whistle and the other three laughed as he blushed. On the other side, Azimio and Karofsky glowered at him. Coach Beiste waved his lateness off and ordered them all to return to their upper body reps. Again, and no longer to his surprise, Blaine found himself shifting up another ten pounds. Almost every week he moved up, and was rather pleased to see he was catching up with the others.

"Everyone have a good weekend, all right?" Coach Beiste called as the announcements started. "And do some cardio! Lifting means nothing if you can't breathe properly."

They all shuffled back into the locker room and started changing. On Fridays, they didn't normally cut short to shower. Everyone was too thrilled to have a few days off to stay in McKinley a second longer than they had to.

"You two butt buddies now?"

Blaine turned to find Karofsky by himself. Azimio must have already rushed out to catch his ride. The other guys stopped and tensed around him.

"I don't know what you mean," Blaine said, deciding to play stupid.

"You and Hummel, queer-face," Karofsky snarled. He slammed his locker closed.

"We're boyfriends, if that's what you mean," Blaine said as Karofsky clenched his fists and looked for something to hit.

"You're fucking abominations," Karofsky snapped.

Behind Blaine, Sam shifted closer and Finn, Mike, and Puck all closed their lockers.

"No, we're just two boys," Blaine replied. Karofsky snatched his bag up and slammed his fist into it. "Boy, you're sure all worked up, aren't you? You jealous or something?"

Blaine meant it as a joke, but the next second he was ducking a vicious swipe at his head. Everyone exploded into movement as Karofsky bellowed and continued to try to get at Blaine. The door from the coach's office banged open as Finn and Puck forced Karofsky back.

"What the hell is going on?" Coach Beiste roared.

Karofsky struggled free, gave them all a sweeping look that Blaine expected to be full of fury. But there was fear, too. Before he could catch it, Karofsky was shoving past Mike and Sam and hurrying out into the hall.

"What happened?"

"He went off," Finn said, looking at Blaine. "He's always trying to go after Blaine, Coach."

"You okay, Anderson?" Coach Beiste came over and leaned down to get a good look at him.

Blaine nodded and continued to stare at the door. Was Karofsky – Dave – gay? Why else would that have set him off so much?

"I'll be fine," he insisted as everyone started trying to look him over. "He didn't even touch me." He grabbed his bag and draped it over his shoulder. "I've gotta go meet Kurt."

"But–"

Blaine was already out the door and down the hallway, hurrying along to the doors that led to the student parking lot. Kurt was waiting at the bottom of the steps as the rest of the student body shuffled off to their cars and buses.

"Hey," Kurt greeted. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry I got mad earlier."

"He's– Kurt, I think he's gay," Blaine said urgently. He pulled him to the side as Kurt gave him a surprised look.

"What? Who?"

"You know who," Blaine said with a pointed look.

"But– Blaine, his wardrobe is hideous," Kurt argued. "Have you seen his idea of an outfit?"

"That's not the point," Blaine said with a wave of his hand. He glanced around at the groups of students and tugged Kurt towards his car. "Come on, we shouldn't talk about it here."

After they had pulled out onto the main boulevard, Kurt turned the radio down.

"Why would you think Karofsky is gay?"

Blaine bit his lip, then explained what had transpired. "And I can't think of any other reason," he finished. "I mean, yeah, he's homophobic, but why would he even ask if we were together unless he was, well, interested in one of us?"

Kurt shuddered at the thought and turned onto his street. "Ugh, don't say that. That's a horrible thought. He's so... ugh."

Blaine sighed. "Kurt, he can't help how he feels. If he does feel that way."

"I know," Kurt said sharply. He pulled into his driveway and shut the engine off. "But I still don't like it. What if he tried to force himself on one of us? That'd be awful."

"That's why we've got to be sure and then help him," Blaine insisted. "If we help him at least stop being so hateful about it, then things won't take the same direction they did with me."

They climbed out and headed into the empty house. Kurt beat the snow off their shoes and left them by the front door with their coats and scarves. Blaine let himself be unwrapped from the bitter cold until Kurt was satisfied.

"We have to find a way to talk to him," he said suddenly. "If we can convince him that's it's okay to be gay or bi or whatever he might be, then he'll stop being so mean to us."

Kurt only shook his head, looking distracted. "And if he just gets worse if we push? God, I'm even more scared of him knowing this. He's probably terrified of himself and who knows what he might do to keep it a secret."

Blaine frowned. He hadn't thought beyond helping the other boy. Kurt knew him better, or at least longer. He probably had a better grasp of his reactions to some sort of intervention.

"Yeah, we'll have to figure a plan out," Blaine decided as Kurt turned around and gave him a coy look. "What?"

Kurt only tugged him towards his bedroom and smiled. "Let's make good on those other plans we made since we have the house to ourselves for two whole hours."

"Wh– oh, oh!"

Blushing, Blaine let Kurt take his hand and lead him towards the stairs.

"I really want to explore our favorite spots," Kurt said, his face as red as Blaine's felt. "Can– I know we always lay side by side, but c- can you lay on top of me today?"

Blaine barely managed to squeak out a yes as he was tugged down the stairs for the afternoon.