With a tired smiled Blaine turned toward him, "So. You love me, huh?"

Kurt blushed and ducked his head. "Yeah. I guess I do." He leaned forward and pressed a kiss against Blaine's shoulder. "I love you Blaine Anderson."

"I love you too Kurt." Blaine sighed, pulling Kurt's chin toward him to press a kiss against his lips. The kiss turned probing. Blaine coaxed Kurt's tongue into his mouth, twining them together into a hot, open mouthed kiss that curled Kurt's toes. He tried to drag Blaine closer, desperate to feel him when he was stopped short by the center console.

Kurt pulled away with a groan and eyed the divider with venom. Beside him Blaine chuckled. "I think that's a sign. We should probably go back to your home." There was a pause. "Is it weird for me to say that I'm suddenly very hungry?"

Kurt barked out a laugh. "Not at all. I know how to stress eat with the best of them." He gave Blaine his hand and they left for Kurt's house.

All the lights were on when they arrived and as Kurt pulled into the driveway the front door open and Burt Hummel loomed there, nothing but shadows and big shoulders. Blaine sat there for a moment before getting out of the car, hurrying around to open the door for Kurt. The other boy grinned at him and murmured, "I thought that was my job."

Blaine's smile softened. "I was brought up to open doors." He frowned and glanced over his shoulder. "I don't know if I want to actually talk to your dad." Kurt held up his hands and patted them against Blaine's chest before sliding down and taking Blaine's hand to drag him to the porch.

"How was the night, boys? You both look like you could use a still drink." Burt commented, his arms crossed over his chest.

Kurt tried to force a smile. "It was good until the end."

Burt's eyes narrowed and his eyes slipped over Kurt's face to Blaine's tired expression. Kurt quickly filled his dad in. "We came clean to Blaine's parents." His father's eyes opened wide. "They weren't happy and there was a scene." Burt stepped aside to let the boys in and they followed him to the kitchen. Kurt helped Blaine out of his jacket and tie, frowning at the perfectly miserable look on his boyfriend's face.

Burt pulled out a bit of extra food from dinner and warmed it up for them. "So, what did they have a problem with? Me being poorer than them or the fact that you lied to them?"

"Both." Blaine replied, rubbing his forehead and dislodging his hair from his gel. "I should have known. There was no way in any scenario that they would have ever been fine with any of this."

The older man put the food in front of the boys but neither seemed inclined to eat anything. "What do you plan on doing about it?"

Blaine growled low in his throat, "I'm going to talk to them. But not tonight. I'm going to let them think, hopefully they'll find their consciences somewhere in that mess of crazy and I'm going to try and make them see that they can't keep trying to control me. I'm almost eighteen! I can't let them keep trying to control me."

"And if they don't like you fighting back what do you think they'll do?" Burt asked, completely serious.

Blaine shrugged, sighing as Kurt pushed their shoulders together. "Considering that money rules almost everything for them, they'll probably take me out of the will or something. Or not pay for college. Or both." He dropped his head into his hands, his forehead pounding.

Kurt reached over, ignoring his food and took Blaine's hand, curling their fingers together. "Can Blaine stay the night?"

Burt quirked an eyebrow as if insulted that Kurt would even ask him that question. "Of course. Take the couch. I'd give you the guest room but Carole's taken up scrapbooking and the place is a mess. It would take you all night to find the bed. I'm sure Kurt has some clothes you can sleep in. Go get ready and I'll set up the couch."

Blaine gave him a soft smile and nodded. "Thank you, Burt."

Burt pushed off the counter. "Yeah. No problem kid. I'll put the food away too."

Immediately the boys left the room, trudging up the stairs. Kurt frowned once over his shoulder at the kitchen where he could hear the clinking of plates. "I'm surprised my dad didn't give us a talk."

"A talk?" Blaine asked, forehead scrunching. "What do you mean?" Kurt pushed the door to his room open and shrugged.

"I don't know. We are two teenage boys, who are in love and under the same roof. I thought he was going to tell me to keep in my room and he would know if we tried to, you know, do anything."

Blaine laughed and turned toward Kurt, wrapping his arms around his boyfriend's waist. "Were you planning on doing something tonight?"

Kurt's cheeks tinted red. "No… not really."

"Your dad is an awesome man. He trusts you enough to know you wouldn't do anything under his roof without talking to him." Blaine assured him, leaning up to place a kiss against Kurt's forehead. "Now, how about some pajamas?" He tried not to think about the fact that he was going to be wearing Kurt's clothes.

Kurt pulled out a pair of loose pajama pants and a baggy shirt. "Use my bathroom. I'll be out here." Blaine gave him a soft smile and a kiss on the nose and slipped into the bathroom. Kurt didn't start changing until Blaine was out of the bathroom—he was more preoccupied by the fact that Blaine was in his bathroom and changing into his clothes. When Blaine came out Kurt barely noticed the fact that they were a little too big on him. He was too concentrated on the fact that Blaine was there, smiling at him.

Blaine moved forward to place a kiss against Kurt's lips. "I'm going to head down. Sleep well, okay?" Kurt nodded once and Blaine kissed him again, longer this time. "I'm so thankful I have you. Thank you Kurt. I love you." Kurt's cheeks turned pink and he nodded.

"I love you too."

Blaine hurried down the stairs where Burt was waiting next to the couch. He'd set out the blankets and pillows for Blaine. "Do you want me to come with to talk to your parents tomorrow?" He asked. Blaine settled awkwardly on the edge of the couch. "No. Thank you though, sir. Thank you for everything. I need to talk to my parents on my own. I have to face them sooner or later."

Burt frowned but nodded. "I understand. But if they give you any trouble you're welcome here." He moved to the wall and flicked off the lights so that the only ones on were from the hallway outside the room. He turned to go up the stairs and stopped. "You're a good kid Blaine, and I'm not an idiot. I was a teenage boy once. I know how these things go. The second Kurt thinks I'm in bed he's going to sneak down here, that's why I left a second pillow and blanket. Just promise me that you won't do anything to break my trust?"

Blaine's cheeks burned red. "I, um, promise?" He murmured, feeling somewhere between elated and mortified, more elated though. Burt nodded at him once and continued up the stairs. Blaine settled in under the blankets and had barely closed his eyes before he heard Kurt's feet on the stairs. A moment later Kurt's hand touched his shoulder,

"Blaine. Do you mind if I-?"

A grin touched Blaine's lips and he scooted back against the couch and Kurt slipped in. Their faces were so close together that Blaine could feel Kurt's warm breath on his neck. He wound his hands around Kurt's waist and they settled in together. "I won't fall asleep," Kurt promised as his eyes drifted closed.

Blaine only smiled at him and brought their knees together, slipping closer to his boyfriend. Everything from the day slipped away from him and he let himself lie there with Kurt, slowly drifting off to sleep with a small smile on his lips.

By the morning Kurt was still there, curled up against Blaine's body with his cheek resting on his chest. In the kitchen Blaine could hear pots clinking and food sizzling. His stomach rumbled but he didn't want to leave Kurt just yet. The boy was holding him together and right now that was something Blaine desperately needed. He didn't want to have to face his parents today, but he knew he had to. Blaine placed a small kiss on Kurt's cheek and slipped out from under his arm, plodding across the hall to the kitchen where Carole was cooking.

She smiled at him lovingly and pointed her spatula to a stool on the other side of the counter. "Did you sleep well dear?"

Blaine yawned. "Yeah. Really well. I guess you saw Kurt and, um, me?" Carole grinned at him.

"It was very sweet. Which was why I didn't try to wake either of you two. Would you like some pancakes?" Blaine nodded blearily and she slipped a few onto his plate. "Have you figured out what you're going to say to your parents?" Blaine's eyebrows rose and Carole chuckled. "Unlike some couples Burt and I actually communicate. He was worried last night."

Taking his fork Blaine began to cut his pancakes. "Honestly, I really don't know what to say or how to say it."

Carole turned the pan on low, turned around and leaned down against the counter, staring at Blaine. "Well, why don't you tell me what they've been doing that has upset you?"

Blaine stared at his food and thought before saying, "I hate that they refuse to see passed their closed little money filled box. Kurt is amazing and they love him until they realize, 'oh wait, he doesn't have as much money as us, let's ostracize him'. He's not the only one in my life that they've done this to and I told them that last night."

Carole turned back to her pan and asked, "Is that it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, tons of kids have problems like that. You know, parents who don't approve and never approve. They usually try and rebel to piss them off. You obviously haven't started staying out past curfew and knocking back unhealthy amounts of alcohol. Why is that? Because you want them to approve. You value their opinion and their trust."

She turned around with another spatula full of pancakes. "It seems to me that you need to make them see that you're their son and not their doll." A small smile tilted her lips. "Does that help?"

Blaine stared at her, his jaw dropping slightly. "Yeah. Actually it does." Carole winked at her and suddenly lifted her chin, "Boys! Breakfast it ready!"

Turning in his seat Blaine watched as the three men of the house trudged in looking tired but hungry. Carole winked at Blaine and served the three men as they settled at the counter, Kurt taking the spot next to Blaine who gave him a shy but happy smile. "How'd you sleep?" Kurt asked. Out of the corner of Blaine's vision he saw Carole send a brilliant smile Burt's way.

Blaine leaned over and placed a kiss on Kurt's cheek. "Very well. Thank you."

Breakfast passed in a blur of happy faces, sweetly snide quips, and laughter. Blaine couldn't remember the last time he'd been able to enjoy this time with Kurt's family. It helped him avoid the inevitable until he couldn't anymore. Kurt waited for him up in his room while Blaine changed back into slacks and his shirt from the night before. He took Blaine's hand and walked him to the car. Burt stood in the open doorway, watching as they drove away. He looked worried and upset and Blaine didn't blame him. He'd offered to come with Blaine to help with his parents but Blaine knew he had to talk to them on his own.

The ride there was silent, Blaine mulling over what he needed to do and Kurt glaring at his steering wheel. When they stopped in front of Blaine's home Kurt turned to Blaine. "Are you sure I can't come in and do something? Anything?"

Blaine laced their fingers together and smiled softly, trying to mask his nerves. "No. I really need to do this by myself. I love everything thing you've done. You and your family but I think this is time I stand up to my parents."

"Call me the second you get away from them." Kurt murmured, pressing a kiss against his boyfriend's cheek.

"Promise." Blaine replied with a small smile. He slipped out of the Navigator and strode purposefully up to the front doors and then paused. A spike a fear rushed through up his back but he refused to look back. He had to do this.

Blaine pulled the door open and slipped in. He was able to close it before he heard his mother's voice at the end of the entrance. "It's about time you came home. You are in some serious trouble young man. Your father in his study. We'll discuss your horrifying actions in there." She turned on her heel, not even looking him in the eye. Blaine kept his chin up and moved down the hall after him.

In the study his father was sitting at his desk with his wife standing behind his shoulder, her hands clamped in front of her. Both had stoic, cold looks on their faces. Blaine had seen this picture before. It was their power stance. Blaine usually stood on the other side of his dad as the photographer took their photo for the society newsletter.

His father spoke first using his business call voice as he linked his hands together and set them on his desk top. "Blaine, what you did last night was-"

His mother immediately began speaking over him, "Do you know that I spent the majority of the night calling the women of the Daughters of the Daughters of the American Revolution to fix your massive screw up and repair the feelings of many of the women you insulted by creating such a scene."

Blaine shook his head. He almost immediately knew what his mother was going to say and straightened his shoulders. "Father, mother. Before you decide to talk to me about the hurt feelings of random people I have never met I would like to bring up a few small points. First of all, for the past few years I have obediently participated in all of these scatter-brained projects for yours, mother. I have gone to all the cotillions and fundraisers. I have worked hard and not only become a lead soloist for the Warblers but I have amazing grades. I have made sure to follow all those rules you've set out for me. All I ask is that I'm allowed to be with my boyfriend who is talented, smart, and amazing. Kurt's family has been incredibly supportive of the two of us and looks at me without prejudice." His plea came to an end after spilling out of his mouth like a waterfall. Somewhere in the middle he had to clasp his hands behind him to stop them from shaking.

His mother stared at him, her lips pursed so tightly that they were white. "How dare you talk to your father and I in such a manner-"

She was cut off by her husband raising his hand to stop her. "Angela. Blaine isn't finished giving his case. Now, please, do not get over-emotional."

Blaine's throat tightened and he decided to appeal to his father more because he knew the man was able to see things clearer than his mother. The man was a business man after all and should be able to recognize a good thing, "Mom, I know you want the best for me but your ideas seem to blindside you at times. You've been treating me like the girl you always wanted. You can't seem to grasp gay means that I'm interested in guys but it doesn't mean that I want to be shoved in with the girls of the cotillions. I'm going to be leaving for school soon and I will meet people from all walks of life. As far as boyfriend choices go, Kurt is one of the most level-headed people I've ever met. And his dad, his dad is amazing. Burt Hummel is a hardworking man with his own mechanic business who knows the value of a hard day's work. He's not some redneck yuppie out for our money. He takes care of his kids and loves his wife and just wants to make sure they're happy. Never once did he ask about how much money I had or anything."

Angela stared at her son, mouth agape. He ignored her and turned back to his dad who sat quietly. There was a strange expression on his face, "I… I remember talking to you in the beginning of this whole charade and you told me that you were doing this for your mother." Blaine nodded once and his father sighed. "And since then this has done nothing but give all of us troubles. Angela, darling, you don't hear the things the men I work with whisper about Blaine but I do. They don't respect him for wandering around doing the fan dance with all the other girls. This is not what I want my legacy to be remembered as. He was already a prize winner and well known for his singing with the Warblers, can't you leave it at that?"

"Thank you father," Blaine whispered, his heart skipping a few beats. The man nodded to him but his expression remained stoic. Angela Anderson, on the other hand, looked like a mix between furious and sad and just plain lost.

Mr. Anderson continued, "As for your actions last night, I do not approve of how you expressed your views to us. There are more respectful and orderly ways to have told us of your disapproval of this treatment. I also wish that you had told us all of this earlier."

Angela gasped and started to speak but her husband shook his head fervently. Blaine felt tears prick his eyes while his mother stared at him with a horrified expression.

"Blaine." Blaine jumped as his father began speaking to him once more. "I will allow you to continue this relationship with Kurt just as long as you continue to focus on school and your grades. I do not want to see them drop or we will have to have another serious conversation. You will not be required to attend another cotillion as a deb but you will continue to help with your mother's fundraisers." Blaine's heart leapt and he could almost hear the metaphorical chains fall off his ankles.

Him mother looked furious. "How can you even let our son still see this boy of his? They lied to us!"

"And I can understand why. They wanted to avoid this very scene. Blaine, as you did lie to us you are going to be grounded for a month. You will call the ladies of the DDAR and apologize and your time with Kurt will be restricted to only Saturdays and you may call him at night once you have finished your homework. I also want to meet Kurt's family so, at the end of your grounding, if the two of you are still together we will have the Hummels over for dinner." Blaine's heart seemed to be beating out of his chest as he forced himself to nod. "Now, go to your room, call Kurt to tell him about your grounding, do your homework and after dinner tonight I will have you start calling the ladies."

Blaine's face bloomed into a brilliant smile and he hurried out of the room, phone in hand. As he left, his mother called to him, "Blaine." He turned. "This is not over young man." Blaine gulped and his eyes slid to his father who waved him out of the room tiredly. As soon as the door was closed he heard his mother explode, "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

He slipped into his room and immediately called Kurt who answered after the first ring. "Are you still in one piece? Do you need me to get the Glee boys to come help you escape? Puck is a juvenile delinquent and I'm sure he'd be able to find the best way to get you out."

Blaine chuckled, "No, actually it went better than I expected. We're still allowed to date but I am grounded until the end of the month. We can only see one another on Saturdays and I can't call you until I've finished my homework in the evening."

"That's it?" Kurt asked, sounding amazed.

"More or less. My mom told me things aren't over between her and I and I know that means that she's going to try and turn my life into a living hell. I think I can take it though. And, also, my dad wants to have dinner with your family after I finish my grounding."

"How in the world did you manage all that?" His boyfriend sounded amazed at this new turn of events.

Blaine shrugged and sat down at his computer, "I guess he understands me more than I thought he did. It's so strange but I'm not going to fight it."

"Are you worried about what your mom is going to do?" Blaine heard a rustle of fabric on the other side of the speaker as Kurt settled on his bed.

Blaine laughed, "Not really. But I'm going to do my best to stay out of her way."

"So… When does this grounding start?"

"Right now I'm guessing."

Kurt made a small disappointed noise. "Well, let's make the most of our Saturdays. I'm going to treat you to one of the best dates you've ever been on."

"I'm looking forward to that but I should go now. I'm going to be the best grounded son on the face of the planet."

Kurt laughed and Blaine could hear the smile in Kurt's voice. "Okay. You do that. I love you."

"Love you too." Blaine hung up and got straight on a report he had due on Byzantine art. Two hours later the maid brought in his lunch and he didn't leave his room until dinner, which was a solemn affair. His mother didn't look at him or speak and neither did his dad. It dragged on for what felt like hours until he finished and raced back to his room.

Blaine was alone for another hour and was just about to get dressed in his pajamas when there was an authoritative knock on the door. "Blaine?" His mother's voice was sharp and disapproving. "I need to speak with you."