Blaine glanced surreptitiously at his watch. Kurt had promised to meet him for coffee at the Lima Bean. Kurt was stringent when it came to punctuality so Blaine had been sure to arrive five minutes early. Just in case. But their four o'clock meeting time had passed nearly twenty minutes ago. The afterschool rush had come and gone and now he was one of the few patrons left in the café.

Sighing he stood to place his order before the barista decided to kick him out. "One medium drip and..." He paused before deciding to order for Kurt. Hopefully he would arrive before the whip melted. Kurt would not drink a latte unless it had whip on top. "And one non-fat mocha latte. Extra foam." Blaine appeased the frazzled woman with the most charming smile he could muster. "Keep the change." She blushed and hurried off to fill the order.

While he waited for his drinks to be made Blaine people watched. He tried to be subtle, but could not stop his jaw dropping and his mouth forming a slight 'O' when a striking blonde girl at the back caught his eye. She was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. She appeared to have dealt with the fact that it was November in Ohio by wearing a hat with faux fur trim – complete with ear flaps. To finish off her look she was sporting leg warmers. On her arms. She stood looking dazed before her face suddenly took on an expression between sadness and anger. The girl turned and sat down at a little round table by the door. She slumped down and laid her head on her folded arms.

Concern for the girl rose in Blaine and when his drinks were ready he headed towards her. Once he stood next to her table he was unsure what to do. He could see that she was not crying at least, but he had no idea if or what he should say to comfort her.

He settled on "Hi," and added a slight smile when she turned to face him.

"Mind if I sit with you?"

The girl smiled brightly which almost threw him off.

"I'm waiting for a friend, but he doesn't seem to be coming." Blaine clarified. "My name's Blaine."

"Brittany" the girl – Brittany replied. She reached out to shake his proffered hand. "Have you seen any dolphins here? Because I can't find my friend's dolphin. He asked me to..."

Blaine blinked, opened his mouth before shutting it quickly. What was she talking about? Zoning back in he heard her say "...and he said his dolphin would be here, and I don't know how to tell him I couldn't find it, and he said we were good last year after we broke up but I know we won't be any more if I can't. Find. It!"

Still unsure Blaine interrupted to ask "You've lost...your boyfriend's...dolphin?"

The girl – Brittany – nodded miserably. Glancing at his watch once more Blaine glanced at his drinks. Kurt didn't seem to be planning on turning up. Maybe he was still mad over what had happened at the Warbler's meeting. When Blaine had agreed with Wes and David that his voice really didn't fit for the solo they would be performing at the Lima Heights Old Folks Day Centre. It wasn't that he did not think Kurt was amazing, but somehow telling Kurt "It suits you" wasn't the best way to appease him for agreeing that his voice was too feminine for the piece. Although, and he would never, never say it out loud, he did think Kurt was quite feminine.

"Here" he said, sliding the cup to the girl across the table. "Sorry, the foam is already gone."

Brittany reached out and took the cup. "He always gave me his drink when the woman forgot the snow."

Blaine nodded, pretending to understand. "Your boyfriend? Did you two break up?" He asked it as delicately as possible. Brittany nodded solemnly. "He was a great kisser. Better than Puck or Santana." She clasped her hands over her mouth. "Don't tell them I said that!" she squeaked. Blaine shook his head reassuringly. "I won't" he promised.

"Oh good. It is really for the best you know because now he has his dolphin."

"What do you mean? He replaced you with a dolphin?"

"Yes. But now I've lost it."

Blaine thought that might have been a good thing, but asked anyways – "Will he be very upset?"

Brittany nodded. "Dolphins mate for life."

Blaine was slightly disturbed now. "He can't, um... replace you with a-a dolphin, Brittany. That's illegal. And just-just wrong. Beside's dolphins are not really – native to Ohio."

Brittany quickly put her cup down on the table and pointed at him. "There is nothing wrong with dolphins!" She said it vehemently. "They look just like sharks, they eat just like sharks. The only difference is they like other dolphins."

Blaine tried changing tracks. "Is that why you broke up?" He ventured.

The girl shrugged non-commitally. "I think he said there weren't enough men in the relationship. He said he was Capital G, and we were both on the squad so it couldn't have worked. "

Blaine thought it sounded like the girl's ex hadn't given any real reasons. "What squad?"

"The cheerleading squad. But then he joined the football team and there were lots of boys there." Brittany paused to take a sip of her latté. "I've kissed all of them." The last sentence was tacked on proudly.

Blaine raised an eyebrow. The girl seemed nice enough – if a little odd – but if she'd been kissing the entire football team maybe the boy was better off without her. He knew he would be hurt if Kurt kissed even one other ... But you're not even with Kurt, remember? A voice in his head spoke up. You said you only wanted to be friends. But, he argued back, I was going to tell him. Today. If he had bothered turning up...he thought bitterly to himself. If you haven't already blown it...

Focusing back on Brittany he posed the question of whether her kissing the entire football team could maybe have been the reason her boyfriend broke up with her.

"But I kissed them all before we dated. He was last, because I thought he really was Capital G until he dressed like Finn and sang me a song."

Blaine no longer knew what they were talking about and decided to shift the focus of the conversation.

"Did you want to be with him again? Do you still like him?"

"He said he still loved me. He said 'I love you' on the phone when he called me today. But he is with his dolphin now."

"But the dolphin is lost." Blaine decided he should keep things simple. "If you tell him it – that the dolphin wanted to be in the ... the wild?" Yes, that seemed to make sense to the girl. "The dolphin went back to the wild, and now you two could be together."

Brittany thought about it..."Then I could kiss him again?" she asked. "Because he was the best kisser."

"Well – "Blaine chose his words carefully. "If that's what he wants as well. But personally I think you would be better than the dolphin."

Brittany smiled. Then her phone rang were it lay on the table. Blaine couldn't see the name but she looked at him and said "It's him!"

"Go on" Blaine urged her with a soft smile. Even if he might have blown it with Kurt at least he had helped this girl have her shot at love.

Brittany opened her phone.

"I'm so, so, so, so, so sorry baby. I lost your dolphin." She paused to glance at Blaine. He gave her the thumbs up, 'Go for it!' He mouthed. She nodded then said, "I was thinking then that since you go to the gay boys' school, that now there are a lot of men in the relationship."

Blaine sat back in his chair now, hoping that Brittany wouldn't offend this boy. Not many Ohio jocks would be okay with being told they go to a gay school. He tried to think of what school she could be talking about.

"So we could be together again. Because Artie and I broke up, you know - and Santana's not ready to tell anyone about..." She glanced at Blaine before covering her mouth, but speaking just as loudly into the phone. "Things."

Brittany paused to listen. She smiled "You're coming? Great! I'm sitting with a guy. He's in the navy I think. But he's pretty short." She eyed Blaine critically before announcing – "I think he might be Pop-Eye."

Any response Blaine might have had was cut off by a squawk from the phone. Brittany just smiled as she agreed to something before hanging up. She then picked up her drink and stared at Blaine.

He rubbed his face nervously. She stared. He shuffled a bit and smiled at her. She stared at him.

"So...what did he say?"

"Don't leave with you, because you could be a pedi-folder and that would be bad because he thinks I'm too trusting. You're not a pedi-folder are you?"

Did she mean...? Was she actually asking him if he was a-? Definitely too trusting Blaine decided.

"No, I am definitely not" was the answer he decided on.

"Good!" She bounced on her stool excitedly. "He said he'd be here in five minutes because he fixed all the cars. He wasn't even upset that I lost his dolphin. I feel bad about it though." Her shoulders drooped.

"Don't be." Blaine hurried to tell her. "You are definitely better for him. What dolphin likes a guy who plays football and fixes cars, right? " He smiled at her. "I have to run to the boys' room, but I'll wait with you until he gets here, alright?"

Brittany nodded, and turned to look out the window.

When Blaine came back he saw Brittany talking to someone. This, he assumed was her boyfriend. Dressed in grease stained coveralls and an old baseball cap, Blaine didn't recognize him. Then again, he had not been in Lima all that often. He walked slowly up to the table from behind the newcomer. He grimaced when he heard harsh whispers coming from the boy.

"-ready told you, Brit! We won't work, and you know why. Besides, even if I could have those feelings for you, Santana would kill me because I know the two of you are perfect for each other."

"Well my new friend thinks we could have a chance. And since your dolphin ran away..."

"Did he actually ru-...wait, Brittany! You can't just trust random strangers! Even if Lima is a small town! We're right by the highway! That creep could have come from anywhere! Do you even know his name?"

"Didn't you ever love me, Kurt? You said you did!"

"I did, Brit! I still do! You were the best girlfriend I've ever had!" Brittany's face lit up at this, Blaine was pleased to note. A man walking into the shop gave him an odd look and Blaine quickly pretended to be preoccupied by a coffee mug display. Fiddling with a mug in his hands he tuned back into Brittany's conversation.

"He told me his name! His name is Blaine, and he's in the navy!"

A long pause followed this. "Blaine? From the navy? Did he tell you he was from the navy?"

"No, but he was wearing a uniform. Blue and grey. And red. But mostly blue and grey."

The boy chuckled a bit, and Blaine thought his laugh sounded familiar.

"But he wouldn't like you." Brittany looked incredibly upset over this. "I told him all about you and your dolphin and he said it was illegal, and he thought it was wrong. "

"...Blaine...Blaine said that?" The words were hushed and muffled. Now Brittany's boyfriend sounded upset. Blaine frowned. He couldn't think of how Brittany thought his views on...well replacing your girlfriend with marine animals could be translated into dislike to the boy. Nor could he think why the jock should be upset if he did dislike him.

"He told me we should date, because I was better than the dolphin would've been."

The boy's head jerked up at that. "What?" he demanded.

Brittany nodded sagely. "He was upset because his friend ditched him. If I'm still not man enough for you and we can't be together and kiss again, can we find his friend for him at least?"

"Britt, is he still here? Did he leave yet?"

"No, he wants to buy that blue coffee mug I think. It kind of goes with your eyes, Kurt."

Blaine froze as the boy turned on his stool and raised a hand to push his cap back from his face.

"Kurt? But I thought you had...but this...you fix cars? And you're a jock?" Blaine put the mug down and dragged another stool to their table. "You dated Brittany?"

Kurt turned to smile at Brittany. "I think you found my dolphin after all. Thanks for keeping him entertained while I was at work, Brit!"

Brittany squeaked and clapped her hands for a few seconds before dropping them to her lap.

She looked at Kurt for a long moment before taking his hands in hers. In the most serious voice Kurt had ever heard her use she told him...

"Kurt...It won't work out if he doesn't believe in dolphins."

Kurt smiled as Blaine asked "Wait, what?"