Climb ev'ry mountain

Ford ev'ry stream

Follow ev'ry rainbow

Til you find your dream.

"Kurt? The Reverend Father wants to see you," one of the brothers - Kurt honestly couldn't tell which - said from outside Kurt's cell.

"I'll be right there."

"He said immediately," the brother replied, sounding apologetic. "I'm to escort you there."

Kurt just opened his door and followed the man he could now see was Brother Artie down the hall to the Reverend Father's office.

"Kurt," the abbot greeted, extending his hand. Kurt kissed it and sat down quickly. "You just had some visitors."

"Oh?"

"The Anderson children. They were very adamant about getting to see you - I had to explain that you have been in isolation ever since you came back last month. Though why that is the case, I could not say."

"I needed absolution," Kurt said, staring at the floor. "I almost did - well, it doesn't matter."

"My child, I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer me honestly," said the Reverend Father, waiting until Kurt looked him in the eyes to continue. "Do you have romantic feelings for the captain?"

"Father," Kurt said, throat closing.

"I thought so," the Reverend Father said, nodding. "And I realize I'm about to contradict all of the lessons you have been taught, but I don't think it's a sin."

Kurt gaped at the abbot.

"The Holy Scripture specifically states that God is love, Kurt. Who are we to quibble about the details?"

"But the other passages-"

"I don't know if I believe the context those passages were written in applies to us now," the Reverend Father said frankly. "I'm still working on my own faith. What I can tell you, though, is that I believe the greater sin would be letting that man and his children go unloved."

"I - I vowed to serve God," Kurt stuttered, afraid he was dreaming. "To be obedient to His will."

"Who says that you cannot serve God and love man?" the abbot asked. "God doesn't exist only within these walls, and service takes many paths."

"I'm afraid, Father," Kurt admitted quietly, feeling yet more tears drip down his cheeks. "If I have mistaken Blaine's feelings, or if I really am about to commit a mortal sin…."

"Would you really have come running back here if you thought your feelings weren't reciprocated?" said the Reverend Father shrewdly. "As for the mortal sin, I admit I can't tell you definitively one way or the other. But how could a loving God condemn one of his most devoted for acting upon his own love?"

Kurt sat silently for a moment, processing the abbot's words. He then stood and said, "Father, I have to go. Tell the brothers I wish them all blessings!"

"Goodbye, my child. Follow your heart."

I simply remember my favorite things

And then I don't feel so bad!

Kurt's heart soared as he approached the Anderson villa and heard the children singing the song he'd taught them on his very first night as their tutor. He quickly snuck in the side gate and ran toward them, joining in the melody once he was close enough for them to hear him.

He was then promptly barreled over by seven ecstatic children.

"Herr Kurt!"

"You're back!"

"We missed you!"

"Why didn't you say goodbye?"

"I'm sorry, children," Kurt said, trying to hug everyone at once. "I wasn't thinking."

"You won't leave again, will you?" asked Myron.

"I'll be here as long as you'll all have me."

"If that includes Father, then I think you'll be here forever," Kitty said slyly.

"Baroness Tina might not like that so much," Jane pointed out.

"Baroness Tina doesn't get a say," said Skylar. "We all saw how Father reacted when we discovered you'd gone."

Before Kurt could ask what had happened, Blaine appeared, wide-eyed, on the patio.

"Kurt!"

"Would you believe it? It's dinnertime," said Mason, looking at a nonexistent wristwatch. "Let's go!"

The children hurried off, giggling, as Blaine walked quickly over to Kurt and helped him off the ground.

"You didn't say goodbye," he said softly.

"If I had stopped to say goodbye, I would never have left," Kurt replied, just as quiet.

"Why did you leave?" Blaine asked, holding both of Kurt's hands in his. "One second, you were changing for supper, and the next, you were gone."

"I thought I was doing what was best for you," Kurt said, trying to tell the truth without blaming the baroness - it was ultimately his decision to go, no matter what her goals were. "Two men in love...not a lot of people would accept that, Blaine."

"I don't care what other people think. Not anymore," Blaine said firmly. "I married Quinn to cover up my real feelings, though I did grow to love her as best I could, and I still grieve for her from time to time. I fathered seven children. I'm tired of hiding how I feel in order to save face."

"You don't think it's a sin?" Kurt asked in a small voice.

"How could it be, if God created us all in his image?"

"I don't know, but I was always taught - and then when my father found out, and he was so angry," Kurt said disjointedly. "I entered the friary in the hopes that it would keep me from loving another man as I should love a woman."

"Oh," Blaine said, backing away.

"But now, all I want to do with my life is spend it loving you," Kurt said, following Blaine. "If God really does have a plan for all of us, then I know this is what He chose for me, sin or no sin."

Kurt would have continued his speech, but Blaine chose that moment to pull him close and finally, blessedly kiss him senseless.

For here you are, standing there, loving me

Whether or not you should.

Kurt ducked behind a decorative planter when he heard the baroness's voice coming from the gazebo.

"What the hell is he doing back here?"

"I don't know, Tina," Blaine replied, sounding dreamy. "But I'm not questioning it. These past few weeks have been-"

"Amazing!" Baroness Cohen-Chang finished. "You're being courted by the Third Reich to lead their navy, your children were accepted at the most exclusive boarding school in Switzerland - you're welcome, by the by - and you and I have gotten to spend so much time together! How have these not been the best weeks of your life?"

"Tina, you don't understand. I lo-"

"Oh, I know you think you love him!" the baroness interrupted, throwing her head back in frustration. "But you can't be with him, Blaine. Not publicly. Not like you could be with me."

"What?" The shock on Blaine's face almost made Kurt giggle and give himself away - he really hadn't realized Tina's schemes after a whole month of her trying?

"You need a respectable wife, Blaine. Someone who can control your home while you're off winning glory in naval battles. I can do that for you," said the baroness, stepping close to Blaine and putting her hand on his chest. "I can be like Quinn was."

"That's - truly a selfless offer, Tina, but - I don't want another Quinn," Blaine said, looking uncomfortable. "I loved her and I love you, but I'm tired of pretending to be someone I'm not. Maybe I can't be with Kurt in public, but we can make our home a safe place."

"But the navy-"

"Damn the navy!" Blaine said emphatically, making the baroness jump. "I don't care about my former career. I care about making myself and my children happy."

"Then maybe you're not the man I thought you were, Blaine Anderson," the baroness huffed. "Honestly - how dare - I'm leaving! Tonight! And don't expect to see me again for a while!"

Kurt tucked himself as tightly as he could behind the planter as she stormed off, hoping she was in too much of a snit to notice if he twitched a bit. Once she was out of sight, he ran to Blaine, engulfing him in a hug.

"Kurt!"

"I heard everything," Kurt said. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I didn't want to walk in your conversation - you're really putting all that aside for me?"

"None of those things matter," Blaine said, pulling Kurt closer for an instant before pulling back to look him in the eyes. "Well, I hate hurting Tina, but she'll forgive me soon - I think. But the Third Reich's invitations, and the high society lifestyle - they don't matter, Kurt. I'd rather have you."

"I can't believe it," Kurt said, feeling tears well up in his eyes. "I never thought I could have something like this. I thought I was an abomination, that I'd have to dedicate my whole life to serving God in order to have a scrap of happiness in the future."

"If we'd met sooner - if I could have helped you with these thoughts-"

"Then you wouldn't have your children, Blaine, and I love your children, just as I-" Kurt froze, afraid to say too much.

"I love you."

"I love you too!"

They kissed for what Kurt thought was ages, tears mingling on their cheeks as they pressed closer and closer. When they finally had to split apart, Kurt couldn't help but sing:

"Nothing comes from nothing

Nothing ever could

So somewhere in my youth or childhood

I must have done something good."

"I wish we could get married," Blaine said the next day. "I wish the whole world could know how happy I am - how happy we are."

"I used to dream of saying the wedding vows," Kurt said, tucked against Blaine's side in a chaise longue on the patio. The joyful shouts of the children playing filtered into the background as he continued, "Having God looking down and smiling on me for once."

"You said the Reverend Father told you to come back?" Blaine asked. Kurt had told him the whole story the previous night.

"Yes."

"Would he be willing to say a blessing over us, do you think? I don't think we could expect a proper wedding ceremony, but there's got to be some kind of alternate, hasn't there?"

Kurt sat straight up. "We can go and ask right away. He told me explicitly that he doesn't think our love is a sin, so it would follow that he'd be willing to bless our union, wouldn't it?"

"But Sam and the children-" Blaine said, looking a bit startled.

"We'll bring them along. Make it feel a little more like a proper wedding," Kurt said. "We can tell the brothers I left a prayer book or something behind and since we were all out shopping anyways, you all decided to come with me to get it back. The Reverend Father will understand."

"Okay. Okay! Go put on something nice, and I'll get the children inside," Blaine said, leaning in for a quick kiss. "No more wasting time. We're going to go get blessed."

How do you hold a moonbeam in your hand?

"Sam!" Blaine called, weeks later, as the rest of the family poured out of the automobile they had rented. "What the hell is on my house?"

"How was your honeymoon?" Sam replied, running down the front steps of the Anderson villa to greet them. "I totally held the fort down for you, no problems here."

"That doesn't explain the massive swastika flag," Blaine said, shrugging off Sam's hug.

"Herr Zeller came by and forced us to fly it," Sam said, looking apologetic. "This was the only house in the neighborhood that hadn't put it up yet, and he wouldn't take your absence as an answer."

"I can't believe the Third Reich rose to power so rapidly," Kurt said as Blaine grabbed the flag and ripped it off the side of the house. "We were only gone for a few weeks!"

"They've been doing background checks on everyone," Sam said quietly, glancing around. "Are all the children inside?"

Kurt and Blaine both scanned the area. "Yes."

"The Berrys had their property seized," Sam informed them. "Hiram was taken away, and rumor has it that it wasn't only because of his Jewish heritage." When Kurt and Blaine just looked at him blankly, he continued, "He had a lover. His valet, Leroy, who hasn't been seen since."

"No," Kurt whispered, stiffening with terror. He felt Blaine's hand slide into his and squeeze firmly.

"You have to get out of Austria," Sam said solemnly. "Immediately. The Reich leaders have already been sniffing around the house to figure out why you haven't accepted their offers of command yet. If they discover you and Kurt…."

"I won't let that happen," Blaine said, voice full of conviction. "Did you have a plan in mind, or...?"

"Already there," Sam said, smiling broadly and brandishing a program for that evening's festival. In bold type on the front, Kurt could see the words 'Anderson Family Singers.'

"And how exactly is this supposed to work?" Blaine asked, snatching the program.

Before Sam could explain, though, Jane appeared behind him at the front door.

"Papa? Can we talk?"

"So this telegram delivery boy you used to meet-"

"Hunter," Jane interrupted.

"Hunter. Is now working with the Third Reich?" Kurt asked, wanting to make sure he'd followed all of Jane's story. "How do you know?"

"He left this note under the loose stone in the gazebo," she said, pulling out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket. "I went and checked when we got home, to see if he'd missed me - we used to leave messages there when one of us couldn't get away."

Kurt took the note and skimmed it, scowling at the ugly language he used to describe Jane's skin and the gossip they'd turned up from Kurt's childhood village.

"Well. He certainly doesn't deserve you," he said once he'd finished.

"But the things he says about Father!" Jane cried, teary-eyed. "Either Father has to accept the command position in Bremerhaven, or he'll get deported to one of the work camps, and both of us with him!"

"That won't happen, Jane," Kurt said, pulling her in for a fierce hug. "Sam and your father are working out a plan right now to get us all out of here safely. No one is going to hurt our family, I swear it."

They embraced for a long moment before Kurt pulled away and wiped the tears off her cheeks.

"Go get your brothers and sisters and tell them to pack," Kurt said, making sure she was looking him in the eyes. "I'm going to go help Blaine and Sam."

He watched her climb the stairs to the bedrooms, proud of how determinedly she was carrying herself, before finding Blaine and Sam.

"So if we sneak out tonight before the festival," Blaine was saying as Kurt entered the parlor. "We can be near the border before anyone realizes we're not in town."

"That won't work," Kurt said, tossing down Hunter's letter on the table. "We're being watched."

"What?" Blaine said, grabbing the letter and reading it rapidly. "Who the hell-"

"Jane's one-time paramour," Kurt explained. "He's working with them now, and he's trying to scare her in order to make us comply with their plans."

"I'll kill him," Blaine said, pushing out of his chair only for Kurt to put a hand to his shoulder and force him back down.

"No. But what if we use this?" Kurt asked, sitting next to Blaine and keeping a hand on his knee. "We show up and sing at the festival, where you announce that you're so proud to be taking command in Bremerhaven onstage for everyone to see."

"So then the guards get lax-"

"-And don't notice you sneaking out in between your performance and the awards," Sam finished. "But where will you go? You can't make it out of Salzburg by the time they'll discover you're gone, much less the country."

"The friary," Kurt said. "The Reverend Father will shelter us for a night, then help us sneak out. I'm sure of it."

"And I'll spread the word that you were heading for the Ukraine, say that Blaine has distant relatives there. I think it will work," Sam said, looking from Blaine to Kurt. "Do you?"

"It's our best chance," Blaine said, squeezing Kurt's hand. "We have to take it."

So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, good night!

Kurt watched from the wings as Blaine took the stage and announced his delight at receiving a new command under the Third Reich.

"I would like to take this moment to sing to my beloved country," Blaine said, lightly strumming Kurt's guitar. "It has sheltered me and provided me with all the best things in my life, and I hope its memory lives on forever. To the future of Austria!"

The crowd cheered, including all the guards the Reich had set along the entrances - after all, they too believed that they were true Austrians, Kurt supposed. He heaved a tiny sigh of relief as Blaine began to sing.

"Blossom of snow, may you bloom and grow

Bloom and grow forever

Edelweiss, edelweiss

Bless my homeland forever."

As the crowd applauded and whooped, Kurt and the children joined Blaine onstage for their final song - a cheeky wink to their plans.

"So long, farewell, auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Adieu, adieu, to you and you and you!"

Kurt couldn't help but sneak glances off to the side of the stage every time one of the children exited, making sure Sam was there to guide them off to the waiting car. What felt like an intolerably long stretch of time later, the song finally ended, and Sam had been there to meet every one of the Anderson children. Kurt and Blaine then walked offstage sedately, keeping a respectful distance from each other-

-only to bolt out the stage door hand-in-hand, delicately avoiding the body of the guard Sam had knocked out to keep their exit a secret.

"Go!" he called after them. "I'll draw out the announcement of the winners as long as possible - and of course, you're in first fair and square - but after that, I really can't do anything!"

"Thank you!" Kurt and Blaine replied.

"I'll write the first chance I get," Blaine said.

"Stay safe!"

Doors slammed in unison as Kurt and Blaine got in the car where the children were already seated and Sam went back inside the theater, and Kurt heaved another breath of relief.

"We're halfway out."

"Soon, love. There's no stopping us now."

A dream that will need all the love you can give

Every day of your life, for as long as you live.

"Father!" Kurt whisper-shouted once they reached the friary gate.

"Everybody in," he replied, ushering all nine of them in as quickly as he could. "I've prepared space in the cellar for you. If you can't find me, Brother Artie has also agreed to help with your escape."

"Thank you, Father," Kurt said, kissing the man's hand as he used to.

"I told you to go to your love, my child. I can't abandon you when others want to persecute you for it."

The family was making their way as quietly as they could toward the cellar when the sound of sirens came from the direction of the gates."

"Your car!"

"We parked it blocks away and in the opposite direction," Blaine said. "They can't have followed it here."

"Well, whatever the reasoning, they're here now. Hide wherever you can - I'll try to send them off as quickly as I can," said the Reverend Father.

Kurt and Blaine split up, Blaine taking Marley, Kitty, and Skylar, and Kurt taking the others. Each group hid on opposite sides of the courtyard they'd entered, behind the large stone monuments carved with various Biblical tales.

"Papa? Will singing about our favorite things help right now?" Myron asked quietly from Kurt's arms.

"No, baby. Not this time," Kurt replied, cradling the boy tighter. "Be very quiet for me, Myron, okay?"

Jane, Mason, and Madison cowered closer to Kurt as they heard footsteps pounding through the corridors. Flashlights beamed along the floor, and a harsh voice commanded, "Scan along the columns here. If you see a person, alert me at once, but search quickly - they could be anywhere, and we don't have time to go chasing shadows. If I come back only to discover you found a statue of Saint Joseph, you won't like my reaction."

Kurt barely breathed as the flashlights turned toward the walls, popping quickly from monument to monument. He and Blaine had hidden behind monuments at the far end of the courtyard, the last ones that would be checked.

Kurt could only hope that their luck would hold.

Please, Father, he prayed silently. Please.

The guard checking Blaine's side of the courtyard finished up and left without saying anything, fortunately enough, but just as the other guard was approaching Kurt's monument, Mason stifled a sneeze, pushing Jane just into view of the flashlight.

Everyone froze.

"Hunter," Jane whispered.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kurt could see the young, blond man opening his mouth-

-and promptly getting punched in the jaw by Kurt's brave, beautiful stepdaughter.

Hunter's head cracked against the flagstones lining the path through the courtyard, making Kurt feel it was time to come out from behind the monument. He could see the young man's chest moving, which reassured him, but he also knew that Hunter wouldn't be getting up any time soon, either.

"Jane," he said, shifting his hold on Myron to pull her into his arms. A second later, he felt Blaine and the other children join the embrace. "How-"

"He wasn't going to touch you and Father," Jane said fiercely. "I can't believe I ever thought I loved him."

"We all have troubles in love," Kurt said.

"Shhh!" Brother Artie said, wheeling into sight. "I go to all sorts of trouble to figure out an escape plan for you, and you try to blow it by talking?"

"Artie! What-"

"Follow me," he said, turning and rolling away.

Kurt exchanged a curious look with Blaine before doing as Artie said. They ended up in the friary's tiny garage, where the groundskeeper's old car was kept.

"I informed the head guard that I'd seen you on the opposite side of the friary, so you should have enough time to push this down the road and get out," Artie said, tapping the hood gently. "And even if they try to follow you, well…."

He pushed aside the blanket covering his legs to reveal a pile of spark plugs in his lap.

"The Reverend Father pulled these out of their cars. They won't be going anywhere for a while," Artie said smugly.

"Thank you!" Kurt gave Artie a quick hug, touched that he'd been willing to do so much for them.

"Thank me by leaving!" Artie replied. "I'll go try to keep them distracted."

Blaine pulled open the driver's side door and pushed the seat down, ushering the children in.

"I'm going to need you to help me push, love," he said.

"Of course," Kurt said, handing Myron off to Jane and opening the door on his side of the car as well. "Everyone settled?"

There was a quiet murmur of assent from the backseat, so Blaine pushed his seat back up and the two men started carefully steering the car out of the friary. Once they'd gone a couple of blocks, Blaine motioned for Kurt to get in and started up the car, sighing when it didn't roar too loudly.

"And now we drive until we reach Switzerland," Blaine said, reaching across the front seat to take Kurt's hand. "Once we're there, I know some people who can help us get to America."

"As long as we're all safe and together, we could go anywhere."