Blaine knew this was a bad idea. His Mum hadn't stopped asking questions yet and he was pretty sure she was yet to actually take a breath. Blaine was just glad he had shut her up just before she'd run downstairs to grab the phone and call her sister, Grace. He did not want his father hearing that conversation. Yeah, telling his Mum he has a boyfriend was definitely a bad idea.

He knew she'd be happy for him but he wasn't exactly expecting this. He didn't think she'd be more excited than he was, okay maybe that's an exaggeration because Blaine knew there was no way anyone was more excited about him having a boyfriend than he was. Maybe that sounded a bit desperate and childish but he was beyond caring at this point. Things were great between him and Kurt. Amazing even.

He hadn't exactly been planning on telling his Mum, not yet anyway. It wasn't that he was trying to keep things from her or ashamed of Kurt or anything he mainly just didn't want his Dad finding out yet. Or ever. Yes, him never finding out does sound like a very good idea. It was last night when Blaine and his Mum were making dinner that she commented on how happy Blaine had been in the last few weeks. Of course he was texting Kurt at the time and had a smile on his face so he couldn't deny there was any change so instead he avoided the question and began setting up the dinner table.

That's why tonight he decided to tell her knowing that she'll just continue pestering him anyway. So that's how they ended up here in Blaine room with Blaine blushing like a schoolgirl and his Mum asking question after question without stopping for answers. Everything was going fine until he showed her a picture of him.

"Oh."

"Oh?"

"He looks… nice."

"Mum." Blaine sighed. He hadn't really thought about what his Mum would think when she actually met Kurt. Yeah he looks a little rough from the outside but that's not all there is too him. He just needed to convince his Mum of that.

"I know he's possibly not what you were… expecting-"

"He's sitting on a motorbike and has piercings all over his face, Blaine-"

"Okay so maybe that wasn't the best photo but I promise you there's so much more to him than what you see here."

Blaine watched as Susan stared down at the picture on his phone, anticipating what she was going to say next.

"When can I meet him?" That was unexpected. Of course it shouldn't be. He should have known that she'd want to meet him at some point, he just wasn't expecting this conversation at all.

"I don't know Mum. I don't really want him in the house with… with Dad here too. I mean we don't even talk and he's just so… and Kurt is really… I just don't think that they'd-"

"How about this, I leave in two nights for another week in New York to meet with my publisher and then when I get back he can come for dinner when your Dad has an overnight shift. How does that sound?"

Instead of answering, Blaine practically jumped into his Mother's arms and hugged her fiercely. He wasn't ready for his Dad to know about Kurt yet. He wasn't ready for his opinion on Blaine's lifestyle choices and he definitely wasn't ready for his opinion on Kurt.

"Thank you Mum. I love you."

"I love you too sweetie. I just," Susan sighed before continuing. "I worry about who this boy is and if he's any good for you because I have a feeling that this is the same boy who was the cause of you almost falling into your depression again. It breaks my heart to see you like that and I don't know how comfortable I am with you dating him, Blaine."

Blaine knew where she was coming from. Of course he didn't want her to worry but he also didn't want to lie to her.

"I'll admit that yeah, he did hurt me a little but you already know that Dad was… you know how we are and you know that if it wasn't for him I never would have ended up in that place the first time and it wouldn't have happened again the second time but the difference this time was that I have Kurt to lean on. He listens to what I have to say and don't get me wrong, I know I can always talk to you whenever I need to but with Kurt it's different. Yeah he can really frustrate me sometimes but at the same time he knows how to relax me when I need it. I forget about everything when I'm with him and I remember what it's like to just simply feel happy. I remember what it's like to have fun without worrying about everything that's going on. So I know he might not seem like the type of guy I'd go for or even a good guy at all but that's just what you see from the outside. There is so much more to him that I really, really want you to see too." It wasn't until Blaine stopped talking that he realised that he'd been smiling the entire time he was talking about Kurt.

He looked up at his Mum and saw the small smile on her face. He knew she wasn't too happy about him being with Kurt but he was glad she was at least willing to give him a chance.

"Well, if he makes you smile like that then I can't wait to meet him. I'm off to bed. Have a good sleep and I'll see you in the morning sweetie." She said with a kiss to his head. He looked down at the photo of Kurt on his phone with a small smile on his face only looking up when Susan spoke again.

"And Blaine, I love you. So very much." Then she walked out the door closing it behind her leaving Blaine to his thoughts. And for the first time in a very, very long time, his head was only filled with good thoughts and he eventually feel asleep with a smile on his face.

"No."

"Oh, come on Kurt-"

"I said no, Blaine. It's not gonna happen."

It was the day after Blaine had told his Mum about Kurt and they were currently lying on the couch in Kurt's house watching mindless TV. Blaine was lying on his back with Kurt against the back of the couch, resting his head on Blaine's chest, he was playing with Blaine's ring like he always found himself doing when they're together like this. That's when Blaine brought up Kurt meeting his Mum next week.

"Why not? I've met your Dad heaps of times and he is a lot scarier than my Mum is."

"Yes I know, but my Dad was meeting you, the absolute perfect boyfriend anyone could ever meet who can charm the ass off anyone and who every parent wishes would be their future son in law. Your Mum has to meet me. The smoking delinquent who rides a motorbike, used to sell drugs and has upset her son so many times I've already lost count. So yeah, I think I have a really fucking good reason for not wanting to meet her."

"Kurt," Blaine said as he pulled Kurt to lie over the top of him. "None of that has anything to do with who you actually are. You smoke and ride a motorcycle, that doesn't make you a bad person. We really have to talk about the drug thing because you still haven't told me about that yet and I think I deserve to know what happened and the amount of times you have made me smile and laugh outweigh the number of times I've been upset because of you by a long shot. You have nothing to worry about."

Blaine hugged Kurt tightly to him with his arms wrapped around the small of Kurt's back. Kurt had his chin resting on his own arms that were folded over Blaine's chest. He reached up to grab the blanket that was folded over the back of the couch to throw over them both to keep the chilly weather out of their own small world they were currently wrapped up in. After settling himself on Blaine's chest again, Kurt sighed before looking into Blaine's eyes and started talking quietly.

"I guess I'm just nervous. I've never had to do the whole 'meet the parents' thing and people don't necessarily like me when they first meet me. I just really don't want your Mum to hate me, Blaine, well, any more than she probably already does."

It still shocked Blaine sometimes, how vulnerable Kurt allowed himself to be around him, actually letting Blaine in and letting him see that side of him that he usually never shows anyone. It made him feel needed and special. It made him feel like he'd done something right. "You're going to be fine Kurt. The only thing she'll care about is how happy you make me and I already know that you make me insanely happy so you have nothing to worry about. Just maybe try to not swear around her… or smoke. She really hates that."

"I really make you that happy?" Kurt asked in a small voice, ignoring Blaine's last comment. "I mean I know you care about me and all that but sometimes I wonder if you really are over everything that happened at Puck's party. I don't ever want you thinking that I'm having any second guesses or that I'm going to bail on you again because I'm not. I care about you too much."

Blaine didn't bother saying anything after that. Instead he leaned up and kissed Kurt softly. They didn't try to rush anything, just wanting to hold each other. They lay there kissing lazily for a long time, neither trying to take things further.

Blaine pulled back just enough so that their lips were still touching and whispered against the other boy's lips. "I don't think you're going anywhere Kurt. And I know how much you care about me, even if I have a hard time believing it sometimes. So don't worry about me thinking you're leaving because I know you're not, just like I'm not."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

It was Saturday night and Blaine had just arrived home. He'd spent the day in Westerville with Nick, Jeff and Thad. It was Nikki's, Thad's girlfriend's, birthday in a week and he had no idea what to get her so the boys had spent the day shopping for a present for her. Thad had spent most of the time freaking out every time they came out of a shop empty handed talking himself into thinking he was the worst boyfriend ever who didn't even know his girlfriend well enough to know what to get her for her birthday. Nick and Jeff had spent the day trying to pull pranks on the other two and just generally being a menace. They only got kicked out of one store which was a good effort for them. The best part of the day though was when Blaine just casually slipped in how he was seeing his boyfriend tomorrow causing the other three boys to hug him so much it was a surprise he didn't fall over. It had been about a month since they'd actually gotten together and Blaine hadn't seen these boys since then and didn't want to tell them over the phone. All in all he'd had a great day.

He walked into his room and found a note from his Mum saying that she hopes he'll be OK with only his Dad home for the week and that she can't wait to meet Kurt. She'd also left some money for him for the week since his Dad is usually at the hospital and isn't home for dinners.

He made his way downstairs into the kitchen to look for the pizza menu. He was about to call them up when he heard a voice behind him.

"Can you order a margherita for me?"

Blaine whipped his head around to find his Dad standing behind him, looking really awkward while trying to talk to his own son. They hadn't spoken in months and this is the first thing he talks about? Pizza? Blaine didn't say anything back. He didn't know what to say. So he ordered his father's pizza along with his own and walked back up the stairs into his room.

He'd had such a good day and now it had to be ruined. No his Dad technically hadn't said anything wrong but it was the fact that he thought he could talk to him and act like he'd not done anything wrong. He tried calling Kurt but it wasn't until the phone went to voicemail that he remembered Kurt was spending the night out with his Dad. Apparently Burt had something to talk to him about so they went out to dinner together to do it, much to Kurt's chagrin.

He threw his phone across his bed and went over to his guitar. He picked it up and slowly walked back over to his bed with it. He hadn't played in a while and so he strummed a few strings and began to tune it. He started playing a few different pieces he knew by heart but none of them really stood out to him. He sat his guitar down on his bed and went into his wardrobe. He began rummaging around trying to remember where he put his notebook. After a few minutes of searching he saw in the back of one of his drawers a hint of red leather and pulled the notebook out of its hiding place.

The red leather felt perfect in his hands and he'd only realised now how much he had missed this. He sat back on his bed and opened the notebook to find all the songs he'd ever written throughout the years.

Everything he's ever felt was written down in this book. All of his deepest and darkest thoughts and everything that ever made him grateful for being alive. He opened onto a new page and began writing. He wrote about everything he was feeling, using his song writing as his own kind of therapy. He wasn't writing for long before the doorbell rang and broke his train of thought as he realised his dinner was had arrived.

After hiding the notebook under his mattress, he walked downstairs to find his father in the kitchen with two pizza boxes already digging into his own.

Blaine grabbed a plate for himself and put a couple of slices on it. He went and sat at the table expecting Anthony to sit in the lounge to eat. He wasn't expecting him to sit down across from him at the dining table.

They ate in silence for a long time. A couple of times it looked like his Dad was about to say something until he decided not to and took another bite of his food instead. Blaine was so sick and tired of having to live with someone that was so homophobic that he couldn't even talk to his own son. He shouldn't be feeling awkward around his own Dad. They should be able to talk and laugh like they used to when he was little. Before he was forced to come out of the closet because a group of homophobic jerks beat him up at a school dance because he took another boy. He'd expected his father to be there for him and tell him things were going to be OK. He didn't expect him to not say anything at all and just make him move schools and hope that would fix the problem. And he definitely expected more than to be basically kicked out of his own home and forced into boarding at his new school. It wasn't so much that he was kicked out but that is what it felt like. His own Dad couldn't stand the sight of him to the point that he didn't even want to live under the same room as him anymore.

Blaine stood up from the table and put his plate in the sink and walked up straight to bed. It was only nine o'clock but he just wanted the day to end. He quickly changed and brushed his teeth before crawling under the covers and trying to force himself to sleep.

He tried to call Kurt again but again only heard his voicemail. He left a message telling him to call him back when he could before putting his phone on his bedside table and trying to go to sleep. No matter what though, sleep just wouldn't come. He couldn't stop from thinking about everything that had happened between his father and himself within the last few years.

He heard as Anthony went to bed himself and still he couldn't sleep. He watched as the time ticked by and before he knew it, it was three in the morning and he still hadn't slept. His stomach started to grumble so he slipped out of bed and walked downstairs into the kitchen. He opened the fridge to find the left over pizza and brought his own out and started eating it cold. He didn't really care about heating it back up. It's better cold anyway.

He walked into the living room planning on watching a movie to help him fall asleep but instead his eyes landed on the piano tucked away in the corner. He finished the slice of pizza he was currently eating and walked over to sit on the piano stool. All he could think about was his Dad and everything they'd lost with each other, so he started to play, and then he started to sing.

How can I just let you walk away
just let you leave without a trace?
When I stand here taking every breath with you
You're the only one who really knew me at all

How can you just walk away from me
when all I can do is watch you leave?
'cause we've shared the laughter and the pain,
and even shared the tears
You're the only one who really knew me at all

So, take a look at me now
well, there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
just the memory of your face
Take a look at me now,
well, there's just an empty space
And you coming back to me is against the odds
and that's what I've got to face

As he sang he felt hot tears stream down his face and a presence behind him. He didn't stop though. He felt as his Dad sat down next to him, facing the opposite way on the stool. He couldn't stop the tears and he couldn't stop singing. He felt like he was finally telling him how he felt and that in itself was wonderful.

I wish I could just make you turn around
turn around and see me cry
There's so much I need to say to you
so many reasons why
You're the only one who really knew me at all

So take a look at me now, well, there's just an empty space
And there's nothing left here to remind me
just the memory of your face
Now, take a look at me now 'cause there's just an empty space
But to wait for you is all I can do and that's what I've got to face
Take a good look at me now 'cause I'll still be standing here
And you coming back to me is against all odds -
it's the chance I've got to take

Take a look at me, now
Take a look at me, now

They sat in silence for a while after Blaine stopped playing. He still had tears falling down his face but he could barely feel them, he was too focused on his father sitting next to him to pay attention to anything else.

"I hate myself for how I've treated you Blaine."

Blaine whipped his head around to look at his Dad who, to his surprise, also had tears in his eyes.

"I should have been there for you when you needed me but instead I acted like a coward and took the easy way out. I grew up in Texas, Blaine and I'd been raised to believe that being gay was a sin. So when I found out you were gay it scared me a little because I didn't know how to handle it. I wish I didn't but I needed some time to get used to it first. I only… I moved you to Dalton because I was concerned for your safety and when you didn't show any improvement I thought that if you boarded you'd make friends easier. I guess I also thought that you d-deserved better than to be forced into living with a father who was still getting used to the idea of having a gay son. Then things were kind of OK for a while when you moved back home and I thought maybe we could fix this rut we'd gotten ourselves into but then we moved here and I made the mistake of asking you to hide your sexuality." His father had to pause and choked back a sob before continuing. "You have to know, that is not because I was ashamed of who you are or who you love but because I was scared for your safety. The last time you came out at a public school you ended up in hospital and I couldn't stand the thought of that happening to you again. I didn't want you getting hurt Blaine because I love you so god damn much but then I asked that of you and I didn't know how to fix it. I wanted to talk to you so many times but I thought you hated me and I didn't know how to talk to you and I'm just so sorry I ever made you think I hated you or didn't love because I do Blaine, more than you'll ever know."

Blaine was sobbing by this point at everything his Dad was saying. He'd waited so long for this, for his Dad to talk to him again, to tell him he loves him and accepts him. He threw his arms around his Dad and cried into his shoulder. They both sat there, arms wrapped around each other, crying over everything they'd missed together, crying over all the times they'd thought they hated one another. They held on tightly and cried until they had no more tears left.

Blaine was the first to pull back and wiped at his eyes. He watched as his Dad did the same.

"I thought you hated me." Blaine whispered. He hated sounding so small but his Dad had just been so honest with him and he knew he needed to do the same thing.

"I'm so sorry I ever made you feel anything other than so completely loved, Blaine." He reached over and hugged Blaine again, needing to be close to his son. Blaine wasn't complaining. He hugged him back just as tightly.

After a long time they reluctantly let go of each other for the second time that night. They quietly bid their goodnights to one another with a promise to talk in the morning. Blaine went up to his room and grabbed his phone, checking to see if Kurt ever called back only to find it dead. He put it onto charge and waited a couple of minutes before turning it back on. The screen showed that he had seven missed calls from his boyfriend. The messages Kurt had left seemed to become increasingly worried with the more messages he left. Despite it being almost four in the morning he dialled Kurt's number.

"Blaine! What the hell? You called me sounding all upset telling me to call you back and then you don't even answer your phone-"

"Kurt, I'm fine. I-"

"-when I'm over here freaking out thinking that something has happened to you. Are you OK? Are you hurt or-"

"Kurt! Stop talking! I'm fine OK. I was just angry with my Dad and just wanted to talk to you. I waited for you to call but I didn't realise my phone died. I'm sorry."

Even though he'd pissed Kurt off a bit he still couldn't keep the smile off his face. His Dad loved him and nothing was getting rid of his good mood now. Kurt's rambling was kind of cute anyway.

He heard Kurt sigh on the other end of the call and couldn't help but feel a little bad.

"You really had me worried Blaine. Next time you tell me to call you back pick up your damn phone, OK gorgeous?"

"OK." Blaine replied with a smile.

"So was your Dad being a massive douche again?"

"Yeah, at first. But now, god Kurt, we just… we talked. We actually talked, for the first time in months. I mean I know it's not gonna just work itself out overnight but he loves me, Kurt. He actually loves me. He told me he accepts me and everything. I've waited to hear him say that for years and he's finally said it and it just, it feels amazing. So, so amazing."

There was a long silence and Blaine was starting to get worried that maybe Kurt had fallen asleep until his voice sounded though the phone.

"I couldn't be happier for you Blaine."

And just like that the tears were back. He had no idea how he even had anymore tears left to shed but apparently he did and they were streaming down his face once again because he still couldn't believe that this was all happening.

"And you deserve this so much. You're a really incredible human being and you deserve to be loved by everyone around you. And it's about time he pulled hi head of out his ass and treated you how a son should be treated by their father."

They spoke for a little while longer after that talking about nothing in particular. It didn't take long for Blaine to fall asleep after that, ready for what the next day will bring him.