“Daddy?”

Kurt turned to look at his daughter, Lizzie. “What is it, pumpkin?”

“Is Papa ever going to come home?”

Kurt lost his memory of how to breathe. He didn’t know how to tell his daughter that her own father might never come home. Blaine might never come back. Kurt will be alone. And he can’t do that knowing that his entire life just got shot and killed.

Kurt bucked up and told his daughter, “Well, Liz, you can ask him when we talk to him tomorrow.”

Lizzie gasped at the phrase. “Really, Daddy? We get to see Papa tomorrow?”

Kurt laughed at how shocked she was, but he was just as excited. “Yes, we get to see Papa tomorrow.”

“Do you think he misses us?”

Tears began to form in Kurt’s eyes. He thinks back 7 months ago when he and Lizzie dropped off Blaine at the airport to leave for Afghanistan.

XxX

“Well, we’re here!”

Lizzie looked out her car window, unbuckled herself, and opened the trunk. She called out to her father, “Come on, Papa! It’s heavy!”

Blaine laughed and exited the car. “I’m coming, sweetheart. Calm down, Papa’s coming.” Blaine walked to the trunk of the BMW and helped his daughter pull out his one and only suitcase he will need. It was filled with the necessary items needed for the men in the armed forces. It was enough to last him eight months. Eight months and he’ll be home with his little girl and his one and only. These are going to be the longest eight months of my life, Blaine thought.

The Hummel-Anderson family walked through the airport until Blaine was at his destined boarding sight. “Well,” Blaine began, “this is it. This is the last time you’ll see me until I’m done.”

“These are going to be long months, Blaine,” Kurt confirmed.

Blaine closed his eyes and swallowed a sob. “I-I know, honey. But just think about it. I’ll be home in time for Christmas and we can be a family again.”

“You’re sure you’re coming back, Papa?” Lizzie asked her father.

Blaine had tears clouding his vision and couldn’t help but kneel down and hug his little girl. “I’m positive, sweetie. And I can talk to you and Daddy twice a month on Skype, so it’ll be like I never left.”

“But you are leaving,” Lizzie said with a frown and a sob starting to come out. Suddenly, Blaine could feel her tears stain his uniform and he couldn’t help but cry with her.

“Mia bella bambina, I promise to always be with you. It doesn’t matter if I’m here or in another country. I love you so much, Lizzie. I’m so proud of having you as a daughter.” Blaine released the hug and held her hands. “While I’m gone, you have to promise me something.”

Lizzie sniffled and asked, “What, Papa?”

Blaine wiped the tears of his daughter’s dainty face and pulled her curly caramel brown hair behind one of her ears and whispered in her ear, “Promise me to never let anyone say you can’t do something you love doing. You can do anything, sweetie. And always know that your daddy and papa love you very much and we’ll always be there for you, even if we aren’t there okay?”

Lizzie nodded, kissed her father on the cheek, and whispered in his ear, “I love you, Papa.”

Blaine kissed Lizzie on the forehead and hugged her one last time, whispering, “I love you, too, honey.” Blaine looked up at Kurt. He was wanting this moment to not exist.

Blaine walked towards his husband and told him, “Do you remember in high school when you transferred back to McKinley?”

“And you and the Warblers sang me that beautiful song? Yeah. I remember it vividly,” Kurt said with a sad smile.

Blaine swallowed hard and asked Kurt, “Remember how you said that you would never say goodbye to me?”

Kurt inhaled and exhaled deeply and nodded.

“Promise me that you’ll never forget me, but you’ll move on with your life if I’m gone. Never say goodbye, but don’t kill yourself, Kurt. I love you too much for that to happen,” Blaine sobbed, grabbing Kurt’s soft but cold hands.

Kurt began to cry as well. “I will do anything for you, Blaine. I don’t want you to be disappointed in me.”

“I’ll never be disappointed in you, baby.” Blaine smiled sadly and said, “I really don’t want to leave.”

“But you will come back, honey.” Kurt said with sad yet certain tone in his voice. “I know you will.”

Blaine pulled Kurt in from the waist and kissed him soft and passionately. They released and hugged each other. Kurt cried into Blaine’s shoulder, and Blaine kept stroking his hair and whispering, “Everything is going to be fine. It’ll all be over before you know it.”

Kurt lifted his head off Blaine’s shoulder and kissed his cheek, feeling the slight stubble against his soft lips. “Never forget us.”

“And never forget me.”

“I love you, Blaine. No regrets.”

“Just love?”

Kurt giggled at the Katy Perry reference made by his other half. He replied, “Always.”

The Hummel-Anderson family hugged one last time until Blaine started to walk towards his departing plane. Soon, Blaine stopped, turned to his soulmate and his beautiful daughter, and saluted them. The both of them saluted back. Blaine blew them both kisses, and they blew ones back to Blaine. And with that, Blaine was not to be seen in the flesh until December.

XxX

Four months have passed and Kurt still hasn’t gotten any sleep. Neither has Lizzie. The past few days have been particularly rough. Lizzie was being teased at school the other day because she missed her Papa too much and started crying in the middle of class. As for Kurt, he has been lying to his friends and co-workers when he said he was sick at home with bronchitis. He even let Lizzie stay home from school this past week because they were both so depressed.

Today was Friday, August 30th. The day they would see Blaine over Skype. The two of them have been talking about the memories they remember of Blaine. Kurt told Lizzie the story of how when she was two and she and Blaine sang “Brahms Lullaby” to him.

Lizzie curiously asked, “Daddy, how did you and Papa meet?” Lizzie was always told the story of how Kurt and Blaine met, but in a much subtler way. They put it into bedtime story form. They replaced their names with Ariel and Eric, from Lizzie’s favorite Disney movie.

Kurt thought about it and told her the story of how the two lovers met. “Well, I was a junior in high school when we met. I was spying on Papa’s glee club when he went to Dalton Academy.”

“The Warblers?”

“Right! Anyways, I pretended I was a new student. I thought I sort of fit in with the characters since I had no idea what to do or where to go. Finally, I asked someone what was going on. That someone was your Papa. Man, was he a gentleman. He had his hair gelled down, in a perfectly in-tact uniform, and had a pocket watch.”

“Wait,” Lizzie interrupted. “Papa’s hair was gelled? But it’s never like that anymore!”

“I know. It just goes to show you how people change because of something that’s more important to them. Anyway, we introduced each other and he showed me a shortcut to the senior commons where he was performing. He sang the song “Teenage Dream” by Katy Perry and I was astounded. He was certainly charming, funny, sincere, and loving. It was around March when we started going out. We were inseparable ever since.”

Suddenly, Kurt’s laptop made a noise that meant Blaine was online. Kurt put the laptop between him and his daughter as they answered Blaine’s video call. Blaine smiled enthusiastically and said, “Hey you two!”

“Hi, Papa!” Lizzie said just as excited.

“Hi, sweetheart,” Kurt said to his better half. “How’s life there in Afghanistan?”

“Eh,” Blaine said as he scrunched his face up. “It’s alright. Nothing compared to home, though.”

“We miss you a lot, Papa,” Lizzie flat out told her father.

“I thought you would. I know I haven’t been home in about four months, but I’ll be home soon enough. And I have a surprise for you two,” Blaine said with a goofy smiled plastered on his face.

“And what is this so called ‘surprise’?” Kurt questioned Blaine.

“Well, it just so happens that one of the guys brought his guitar with and taught me a new song to play. Do you want me to sing it?”

“Yes! Please, Papa?” Lizzie begged.

“Okay,” Blaine laughed. “But only because you said ‘please’.” Blaine reached over, pulled up the guitar and got his hands in position. “I’m singing this because I’ll never stop loving the two of you. And I miss you so much.”

Blaine starts playing the chords to a familiar tune they have heard once before when they were in high school. Blaine soon started with the lyrics.

“Heart beats fast.
Colors and promises.
How to be brave?
How can I love when I’m afraid

To fall?
But watching you stand
Alone,
All of my doubt
Suddenly goes away somehow.

One step closer...”

Kurt was just on the brink of tears when he said ‘How to be brave’. Blaine taught Kurt courage, and here Blaine was singing about how weak he is without Kurt and his little girl.

“I have died everyday waiting for you.
Darling don’t be afraid. I have loved you
For a thousand years.
I’ll love you for a thousand more...”

Oh, god, Kurt knew why he was singing it. He was singing it because he’s afraid he might die out there. He needs to stop. But Kurt has never heard Blaine sing since he left, so he lets him keep singing.

“Time stands still.
Beauty in all she is.
I will be brave.
I will not let anything

Take away
What’s standing in front of me.
Every breath,
Every hour has come to this.

One step closer...”

This verse was about Lizzie, and Lizzie knew it herself. Her Papa had always called her ‘mia bella bambina’, which means ‘my beautiful girl’ in Italian. Lizzie had always believed that her Papa was always right about her being beautiful the way she is and she never let anyone get to her.

“I have died everday waiting for you.
Darling don’t be afraid. I have loved you
For a thousand years.
I’ll love you for a thousand more.

And all along, I believed I would find you.
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you
For a thousand years.
I’ll love you for a thousand more...”

Blaine was just at the edge of crying his eyes out at the instrumental bridge. Lizzie and Kurt were already crying silently. God, he hated to see them cry. But they aren’t crying because they’re sad. They’re happy. They know he’s coming home. He’ll never let them down.

“One step closer...

One step closer...

I have died everday waiting for you.
Darling don’t be afraid. I have loved you
For a thousand years.
I’ll love you for a thousand more.

And all along, I believed I would find you.
Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you
For a thousand years.
I’ll love you for a thousand more...”

As Blaine let the last chord ring out, they all started crying. “I miss you two so much...” Blaine cried.

“And we miss you, too,” Kurt confirmed.

“You two better know that I will never stop loving you.”

Kurt’s eyes flashed open and said, “And we’ll never stop loving you.”

“Well,” Blaine began, “I have to get going. We’re eating soon.” Blaine blew kisses to them and they did the same. “I love you.”

“Love you, too!” And with that, Blaine hung up. Kurt shut the computer closed. He looked over at his biological daughter and saw her yawn. “Well, you should go to bed, now, shouldn’t you?”

Lizzie yawned again and nodded her head. Kurt picked her up, walked her to her bed, laid her down, tucked her in, kissed her goodnight, and went to bed.

XxX

Kurt and Lizzie were getting set up for Thanksgiving dinner, putting plates on the table and silverware next to the China plates. The phone started to ring and Kurt ran to pick it up. “Hi, Dad!”

“Hey, Kiddo. How are you?” Burt Hummel asked his son.

“I’m fine.”

“And my beautiful granddaughter?”

“Beautiful as ever.”

“And Blaine?”

Kurt raised an eyebrow and honestly told his father, “I don’t really know, Dad. I haven’t heard from him. We’re supposed to talk to him tomorrow.”

“Well, I’m keeping him in my prayers.”

“Us, too. So why did you call? Is something wrong?”

Burt sighed good and long until he spoke once more. “Unfortunately, yes. Carole’s sick with pneumonia. We can’t make it tonight. I’m so sorry, bud.”

“Don’t worry about it, Dad,” Kurt told his dad like it was no big deal, which it wasn’t. “I’ll keep Carole in my prayers, okay?”

“And I’ll keep Blaine in mine.”

“Alright, Dad. I’ll let you go.”

“Okay, buddy, I’ll talk to you soon, kay?”

“Of course. I love you, Dad.”

“Love you, too, Kurt. Send my love to everyone.”

“I’ll make sure to. Bye-bye.” After Kurt hung up the phone, there was knock on the door. “I got it!” Lizzie shouted from the dining room. Lizzie ran from the dining room to the front door. When she opened up the door, she saw a man that was dressed in a uniform similar to her Papa’s, had bleach blonde Bieber-cut hair, and bright green eyes. “Can I help you?” Lizzie asked in a polite manner.

“Elizabeth Caroline Hummel-Anderson, I’ve known you for six years and you still don’t recognize me?

Lizzie was obvious teasing her godfather by not telling him directly who he was. “Uncle Jeff?”

Jeff sighed of relief. “I thought you would forget I was your godfather. It’s so nice to see you!”

Kurt walked to the front door and saw his daughter hugging Jeff, he commented, “And what am I? Chopped liver?”

Jeff’s face cringed at the thought. “Ew, gross, Kurt. I always thought of you as clean and pristine.”

Kurt rolled his eyes at the comment. “Just shut up and give me a hug.” The two boys shared a hug. Kurt soon asked, “Why are you here? Is something wrong?”

Jeff cleared his throat and said, “Unfortunately, on this festive holiday, I have to deliver some bad news.”

Lizzie’s eyes went wide, as if she had just seen a ghost. “Is Papa not coming home for another month?”

“Well...” Jeff hesitated. “Not quite. I think it’s best if you two sat down.” The three of them made their way to the dining room, seating themselves near each other. Jeff took a deep breath before he began to talk. “I don’t really know how to explain it. I’ve never experienced something like this, but I know you have, Kurt, so I hope you’ll take it better than Blaine’s parents did when -”

“He’s dead, isn’t he?” Kurt sobbed.

Jeff just looked at Kurt, tears rimming his own eyes. “Kurt, Lizzie, I’m so sorry. I could never lie to you.”

“He promised!” Lizzie screamed and ran up to her bedroom. Both Kurt and Jeff heard the loud slam of her door and her muffled sobs. The two boys look at each other and cry in each other’s arms.

Jeff kept telling Kurt, “I’m so sorry, Kurt. I never meant for this to happen. It’s all my fault.”

Kurt looked up at Jeff’s glistening eyes and said, “Jeff, it wasn’t your fault.”

Jeff wiped the tears away from his eyes. “I know, b-but I’ve been his right hand man since we were in high school! I can’t help but feel l-like I’ve let him down!”

Kurt held his heart. You didn’t let him down. I did, Kurt thought. “Jeff, I think it would be best if you left. Th-thank you for telling me.”

He gave Jeff one last hug and dismissed him from the house. Kurt shut the door, tears still streaming from his eyes, and ran into his own room, opened the closet, and took out Blaine’s old Dalton Academy uniform. Kurt just held it in his arms and smelled it. It smelled like Calvin Klein cologne and a medium drip. He put the blazer on and laid in bed. He thought about the things that happened when Blaine wore the blazer. They met each other when he wore it. They sang together when he wore it. They kissed when he wore it. There were so many memories of this stupid blazer that he never threw away. He could never throw it away now. He began to softly cry when he heard a knock at his door. “D-Daddy?”

It was Lizzie.

Her eyes were red and rimmed with tears. She had tear streaks riding down her face like rivers. Lizzie was so sad and tired that Kurt said to her, “Oh, belle fille. Come here.” She ran into her Daddy’s arms and cried with him. She inhaled the scent of the blazer and whispered, “It smells like Papa...”

Kurt cried even harder. I can’t move on. I just can’t. No one can replace him. I don’t cared what he said. No one can replace you, Blaine. I’m sorry, baby. I’m sorry I can’t keep my promise, but you didn’t keep yours, Kurt thought. “But we loved each other for a thousand years...” He took a deep breath and continued saying lyrics that Kurt and Blaine lived by and always will.

“I’ll love you for a thousand years more...”