It was quarter after seven in the morning and Kurt was dressed for the day. He sat cross legged on his bed, looking at the number on his phone screen. With a sigh he pressed the call button, putting the phone to speaker and leaning back against the wall, his favourite pillow hugged to his chest. A few rings sounded out, sharp against the shuffle of boys in shower shoes outside in the hallway.

"Hummel house."

"Hi Dad."

"Kurt! Hey. How's your week going kid?"

"It's only Tuesday Dad. But its fine. Everyone else is freaking out about end of term stuff, so it can be a bit tense around here." Burt gave a noise of recognition, and Kurt could hear the toaster in his kitchen pop up with a familiar twang.

"How's singing?"

"That's actually what I wanted to talk to you about. I was thinking. On the way back on Sunday."

"Alright. I'll bite. What about?" Kurt could see in his mind how did father would be crossing his arms and leaning against the kitchen counter.

"The Warblers."

"Did someone say something?" Burt asked cautiously.

"No. It's nothing like that. The boys are all great."

"Okay. Well, is it about the solos again? Cause I know that it's tough, but sometimes you just have to pay your dues first, no matter how good you are."

"No, Dad-"

"Well what is it then?"

"I'm thinking of quitting the Warblers. And maybe...getting a job...part time." He heard the deep sigh that Burt released rush past the receiver.

"Is this because of what I said about Christmas?"

"No, of course not!... Well... yes, but it's about that, and the truck, and the juice and...I just feel like I'm being so selfish, like I'm costing everyone everything." Kurt's fingers tightened their grip on the pillow.

"Kurt..."

"I took your honeymoon. And what about next year? How are we going to do that?"

"Kurt, the way you and Carole make me eat now I'll have years to go to Hawaii. And you gave us that great wedding. We wanted to give you this opportunity, both of us." Kurt swallowed, pressuring himself to keep up his argument.

"Yeah, but if I got a job, at least I'd be able to help out."

"But what about your school work? And your Sparrows?

"Warblers, Dad."

"Yeah. When you were still at McKinley, that singing was pretty much the only thing that made you smile. I would sell my kidney to pay your tuition before I see you giving that up." Burt joked, but it was only an overlay for the serious intent in his voice.

"But Dad-" The joking slipped from his tone as Kurt was interrupted by his father.

"No. Kurt, I am the adult here. We sent you to Dalton to be happy. You are my kid, let me do the worrying for a while."

"Your heart-" Kurt ducked his head, trying to wipe a tear away with his shoulder.

"Screw my stupid- You're my heart kid. I can't be happy if you aren't." There was silence across the line.

"I have a concert on Friday." Kurt croaked out.

"This Friday?"

"Unhunh. It's the Christmas show. Can you come?"

"Yeah, of course." Burt sounded worried still, hearing Kurt sniff faintly over the line.

"Okay. Um. Can we talk about this? When I get home?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"No, Dad, there is. But I... Thank you." Burt sighed.

"What time on Friday?"

"It starts at 7:30."

"Okay. I'll be there." Burt said gently.

"You can bring Carole. If you want to. If she wants to." Kurt continued.

"I'll check with her."

"I love you Dad."

"Have a good day today, hm?" Burt listened to his son's choppy breathing for a minute before carefully hanging up.

Kurt heard the dial tone and reached forward to press the end button. It was 7:30. He had fifteen minutes before breakfast with Blaine. Fifteen minutes to pull himself together for the day and print out his geography assignment to hand in.

Blaine scrubbed his face with a closed fist, pulling away as he cracked a yawn.

"You look as shit as I feel." Reese mumbled. Blaine looked over at the other bed where Reese was lying on his stomach, his head turned to look at his roommate.

"Ugh. Piss o- o- ooouf!" Blaine tried to tell him off, but another yawn cut into his attempt. "Shut up." He groaned. He had gotten maybe four hours sleep, cramped up in his alcove chair, but at least he'd managed pyjamas. Reese was still in yesterday's uniform pants and undershirt, his cropped ginger hair pushed to one side.

"How many more days?" Reese undid the belt he was still wearing, and pulled it out of the loops, throwing it across the room towards his dresser.

"Including today? Three. But I still have concert on Friday too."

"You finish the essay?"

"Yeah. You finish your geo studying?"

"No."

"Dyou care?"

"Not even a little right now."

"I guess I should send my paper to Neil." Blaine sighed, standing stiffly and pulling into a stretch. His back and one of his hips popped sharply.

"Quiet your joints Anderson. And wake me up in ten." Reese rolled over to face the wall and pulled his blankets over his head. Blaine made a noise of concession and grabbed his laptop, flopping onto his bed and waking the screen from sleep mode.

He opened his Skype, and saw Neil there. As the screen opened up to both of them the other boy gave out a cry of exaggerated terror.

"What the hell happened to your head!" Blaine tried to pull his curls back from the disarray they had managed overnight.

"Thanks. You huge jerk."

Neil was sitting cross legged on his bed, a tall can of energy drink tucked between him and the wall. He grinned. Blaine rolled his eyes.

"Shouldn't you be asleep right now?"

"Nah, finishing up a paper for the morning. Anyways, its only...4:30 am. Oh wow." Neil scrunched up his face in distaste.

"Yeah. I know the feeling. I finished my paper too. Dyou still have time to look at it?"

"Of course. After this paper I don't have anything til Friday afternoon. Email it to my school account"

Blaine opened up a second window for his internet to send the file.

"So, what's been going on?" Neil asked, taking a swig from the his drink.

"Nothing much. Working on the essay. Prepping for the concert. Going on a date."

Neil's eyebrows shot up.

"Date?"

"Dyou want me to send you the essay as an attachment or-"

"Hey hey, you know if you didn't want to talk about it you wouldn't have mentioned it. What's this about a date?"Blaine let his eyes wander around the room playfully.

"Oh, you know. I had a date with Kurt on Saturday."

"Good job slick!" Neil smiled widely, watching a grin creep across Blaine's face. "Awww. You really like him! What did you guys do?"

"Just went to a movie, got coffee."

"Get any action?"

"I don't kiss and tell."

"So you kissed."

"Damn it. I am not on my game." Blaine frowned.

"Well. What an interesting development. We'll have to talk more when we're both not half dead. And when you have hair I can take seriously."

"Says the guy who tried and failed to rock the shaved head for three months last year."

"I had no idea that my head was secretly weird and bumpy, or that my hair grows back really slow."

"You looked like a potato from all angles."

"Go have breakfast. I'll look over the paper and text you when I'm done."

"Get some sleep."

"No rest for the awesome B."

"Wrong meaning for wicked Neil. But good try."

"Good morning."

"Good night."

Blaine pushed his computer shut and looked over at Reese.

"Come on. Lets get today over with. Kurt's gonna be here for breakfast in ten."