They headed downstairs, Kurt was thankful that Blaine didn't push him to talk about why he'd gotten sick.

"Hey boys, I just finished up, what do you think?" Carole asked, looking up from the dishwasher.

"I, uh, wow, Carole what is all of this for?" Kurt asked. Carole had baked everything from cookies to a big cake.

"Do I need a reason to bake for my boys?" She asked laughing.

"No, I guess not." Kurt said, sitting down, motioning for Blaine to do the same.

"So you boys okay?" Carole asked, hesitantly.

"Yeah, I think so. We still have a lot to get sorted out, but we're okay, aren't we?"

"I hop so, I want us to be." Blaine said, voice thick with emotion.

"Good. So Blaine, are you staying for dinner?" Carole asked, brightening up hearing that they were working things out.

"If that's okay with out and Burt." Blaine answered.

"Of course it's okay sweetie." She said with a chuckle. "Your dad and Finn went out to get take out so I'll call for you when they get back. I'm going to go rest after all that baking." She said to Kurt.

"Sounds good, we're going back to my room." Kurt said, standing up and heading towards the stairs.

"Okay boys, have fun." She laughed moving to the living room to watch t.v.

"Let's go hobbit." Kurt said, grabbing Blaine by the arm.

"Hobbit! Really Kurt, when did you turn into Santana?" Blaine laughed, following Kurt back to his room.

"I am not turning into Santana, and yes hobbit, speaking of, we so need to go watch that movie when it comes out!" Kurt said falling back on his bed, followed by Blaine.

"We? Kurt that movie comes out on December 14th, it's not even Thanksgiving yet!" Blaine wasn't sure what Kurt meant by what he had said.

"I know what the date is silly, and yes we, I'll still be here then, so-" Kurt stopped midsentence and bit his lip, he hadn't even thought about staying in Ohio, he had no clue what made him say that.

"Kurt-"

"No wait, I said that and I have to be honest, I really haven't given any thought to it."

"You can't stay here Kurt, you don't belong here, you belong in New York at Vogue and NYADA." 

"Listen, I'm not saying you're wrong but I also belong with you. New York is amazing, but there's something missing, you. I need to think about what New York has done to us and could still do."

"Kurt, do you really mean all of that?" Blaine asked, careful not to show how much he really wanted it.

Kurt thought about it for a minute before answering. "Yes I do Blaine. I want to be here with you, I want to fix us and after graduation you and I can both go back to New York, together."

"But what about Vogue?" Blaine asked, still not letting himself get too excited, incase Kurt changed his mind.

"I'll call Isabelle, she'll understand. I can work on my NYADA application, you can even apply too! We could start together!" Kurt was excited and not afraid to show it.

"I, uh, yeah that, that would be great." 

"What's wrong?" Kurt's smile fell, noticing Blaine's hesitation.

"Nothing, I just, I don't really want to go to NYADA." Blaine had his heart set on NYU. 

"Oh, that's fine. Where do you want to go? Have you already applied?"

"NYU and yes, I applied early admissions to better my chances. I've wanted to go to NYU since I was a kid." Blaine had never told Kurt this story, it just had never came up.

"Really? Why NYU so bad?" Kurt asked, opening his arms for Blaine to cuddle.

Blaine smiled and settled into Kurt's arms with a content sigh and started his story. "When I was younger, back before I knew I was gay and things go strained with my dad, I followed him everywhere. I told everyone who would listen that I wanted to be just like my dad when I grew up. My dad graduated from NYU top of his class, he would always tell me he knew I'd follow in his footsteps and make him proud. Him and Coop got into a huge arguement when he left for L.A. instead of going to NYU. Then I got older, came our and my dad started saying I was just like Cooper, a disappointment."

"He really said that to you?" Kurt asked. He'd known Blaine didn't get along with his dad that well, but he really know much about it because Blaine never wanted to talk about it and Kurt never pushed.

"Yeah he really said that. It was right after I came out, I think it was just shock. He's gotten better, he's not as bad anymore. Still, I made up my mind right then that I would get into NYU and graduate top of my class just to prove to him wrong, to show him that I can still do it even if I'm gay."

"You can do it, you'll prove him wrong, I know it. You're anything but a disappointment." Kurt said pulling Blaine closer to him.

"Thank you Kurt. I've always imagined it, proving him wrong, since the day I came out. Then I met you, and then I started realizing that when I'd think abotu it, I saw you there with me. I still want that Kurt, I still want you to be there with me."

"I'll be there, I promise. I'll always be there." Kurt said, hoping Blaine would know that he wasn't just talking about school.

"So you're really serious about staying here and not going back to New York?" Blaine asked, changing the subject.

"Yes, I'm very serious about it. I want to tell my dad during dinner tonight."

"Okay. Kurt, I love you so much." Blaine whispered, half hoping Kurt wouldn't hear him.

Kurt's breath hitched. "I love you too." He whispered back.

"We're going to be okay?" Blaine asked a little louder.

"Yeah, we're going to be okay." Kurt answered.

They fell asleep holding each other, both knowing they still had a long way to go before they could get back to the way they were, but that everything was going to work out eventually.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Kurt and Blaine were still asleep curled up together when Burt and Finn came back.

"Boys, it's time for dinner!" Carole yelled up to them, causing them to stir.

"O-okay, we'll be right down!" Kurt yelled back.

Blaine was already out of the bed and headed for the door. Kurt just gave him a knowing look and laughed.

"What? I'm hungry." Blaine pouted.

"When aren't you?" Kurt laughed at Blaine pouting as they headed downstairs.

"Hey Kiddo, how was the rest of your day?" Burt asked when they all got set down.

"Good, and Dad, thanks again for coming to Dalton and bringing Rachel. I know I scared you guys and I'm sorry." Kurt was ashamed of how he'd acted earlier that morning.

"It's fine Kurt, don't mention it. Speaking of Rachel, you need to call her."

"Why, is something wrong?" Kurt asked worried.

"No, no, she just wants to know when you two are heading back to New York." Both Kurt and Blaine went completely still.

"Uh, okay. I'll call her as soon as I finish eating." Kurt said, trying not to look over at Blaine and draw attention to their reactions.

"That's fine kiddo." Burt noticed the boys had both tensed when he mentioned New York and wondered what was going on.

"Dad, after I call Rachel, there's something I want to talk to you guys about." Kurt was starting to think that maybe staying wasn't such a good idea.

"Is everything okay Kurt?" Burt asked concerned.

"Yes Dad, everything's fine, I just need to say something I want everyone to hear."

"Okay, sounds good to me." Burt turned his attention to Blaine. "So you okay Blaine?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm feeling a lot better now, thank you." Blaine had suddenly lost his appetite, that feeling of worthlessness creeping up on him again. "I'm going to go shower if that's okay." Blaine said getting up, not waiting on an answer.

"But Blaine, you've barely touched your food." Carole said worriedly.

"Yeah dude. If you're not going to eat it..." Finn suggested.

"It's all yours Finn." Blaine said walking as fast as possible towards the stairs.

Kurt knew something was wrong, Blaine had been hungry before they came down, and the look in his eyes just then had reminded him of what he'd seen in the locker room.

"I'm going to go call Rachel." Kurt said, leaving his half eaten plate of food and running upstiars. When his dad mentioned New York, he'd doubted for just a second, staying here. He really loved New York, he could be himself without fear. He loved his job, Isabelle, his appartment with Rachel, he was even thinking about applying to NYADA for the next semester, but seeing Blaine break like that made him see he needed to be here, with Blaine.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

"Hello?" Rachel's voice sounded from the other side of the phone.

"Hey Rach." Kurt smiled hearing her voice.

"Hey Kurt, how's everything going?" 

"Good, well, it was. Listen I called to talk to you about New York." Kurt thought he might as well get right to it.

"You're not going back are you?" Rachel asked, but there was no question in her voice, she knew the answer.

"I can't Rach, he needs me." Kurt sighed, leaning against the wall outside his room.

"I know, I could tell as soon as you walked out of the locker room with him that you were going to stay. What are you going to do about Isabelle and Vogue?" She asked.

"I don't know. I guess just call and explain everything to her. When will you go back?"

"In a few days, I need to get back to class." Rachel didn't sound very excited.

"Yeah, don't want to make Cassie hate you anymore than she already does. My stuff, I'll have to get my stuff. Maybe I can get my dad to drive up with me to get it."

"That would work, what about Blaine?"

"Oh I'm sure I can get him to come too."

"I won't touch any of it, I know how you are." Rachel said with a laugh.

"Thank you Rach, for everything. I need to call Isabelle. I'm going to miss you Rachel." Kurt said, choking up.

"Kurt, how many times do I need to tell you, you're my best friend, there's no need to thank me. I'm going to miss you too, but you're where you need to be for now. I'll see you soon." Rachel tried not to cry, but failed, she really was going to miss having her best friend around.

"Bye Rach, I love you."

"Bye Kurt, I love you too." They hung up, Kurt took a breath and dialed Isabelle's number.

"Isabelle Wright, how can I help you?"

"Hey Isabelle, it's Kurt."

"Oh hey Kurt, how are you, I've been trying to call you." She sounded worried.

"I'm good, better now. I'm in Ohio and I-I'm not coming back, at least not for a while." He held his breath, waiting for her response.

"Oh honey, what happened?" She sounded sad and worried, not angry. Kurt let out a sigh of relief.

"M-my ex, the one I told you about, he's been having a hard time. I came home to help, but now that I'm here, I can't leave him again, not in this state. I- he needs me and I need him. I'm sorry."

"Kurt, you don't have to apologize, I understand. You're going to be missed here though. Just know that you're always welcome here anytime."

"You're not mad?" Kurt asked, shocked at the way she'd reacted.

"Mad? No, not at all. You need to be in Ohio, I get that." Isabelle said with a smile.

" Thank you, thank you so much." Kurt sighed, happy that she wasn't upset with him.

"No problem Kurt. Now you focus on this boy, he's very lucky to have someone care about him as much as you do."

"I will, thank you again Isabelle."

"You're welcome sweetie." She said with a laugh.

"Well, I guess I should go, let you get back to work."

"Okay, goodbye Kurt."

"Goodbye Isabelle."

Onve they hung up Kurt's face lit up with a smile, now he just had to tell his dad, but first he had to check on Blaine.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Blaine tried to wash all the horrible things he was feeling off in the shower. The water felt too hot on his skin, but he made no move to adjust the setting. The burn made him feel, just like the boxing had. He thought about dinner, Kurt still wanted to be in New York, even if he told Blaine he didn't. He felt worthless, was he really so pathetic that his ex boyfriend had to move back to Ohio just to keep him from doing something crazy? He couldn't keep the thoughts away of what would happen if he just disappeared, would Kurt go back to New York then? Would he find some new, handsome guy that didn't cheat on him and fall in love? It made Blaine's head spin, sure he'd wanted to feel something, but he had never thought about this. He wasn't even sure if he knew what he was thinking. Maybe he did need Kurt or someone around to keep him from going off the deep end. He knew he needed to tell Kurt about this, but didn't want to worry him anymore, so he decided to wait and see how things went before he would say anything about the thought. He'd been bullied and beaten down to nothing and not even then did he ever think about harming himself, why was he thinking about it now? He turned off the shower and immediately felt the effect of the hot water, the cool air somehow managed to feel like it was burning his skin. As he reached for a towel, he realized all of his clothes were in his bag in Kurt's room, if he even had any left that were clean. He sighed and wrapped the towel around his waist and headed back out to Kurt's room.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

When Kurt walked into his old room, the first thing he noticed was Blaine actually was in the shower. He also noticed that Blaine's bag was full of dirty clothes, he knew Blaine hadn't packed to spend this much time away from home so he walked over and got his old pair of Dalton sweats and and old shirt of Blaine's that he had taken for his own, and placed them on the bed with a note saying he was going to wait for Blaine outside the room. With one final look towards the bathroom, Kurt sighed and exited his room, hoping he and Blaine could about what happened at dinner and their plans to tell everyone downstairs that he was staying in Lima.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________

Blaine smiled when he walked over to the bed and found the clothes and note Kurt had left him. Even now Kurt knew exactly what Blaine needed and didn't hesitate to help. As he got dressed he made up his mind to tell Kurt about the thought's he'd had in the shower. He was suppose to be earning Kurt's trust back and he didn't want to screw it up. He exited the room feeling somewhat nervous about the conversation that awaited him right outside the door.