A/N: I just wanted to get this idea off of my mind. My take on why Kurt will be leaving to go back to McKinley.

Once again, many thank yous to AllHandsLinked, my Fairy Beta-mother, without whom my stories would still be tattered and torn and in need of much mending.

Disclaimer: I do not own Glee. If I did, would I be on here? (Actually, yes, I probably would be….trolling….)

Blaine found him sitting the bay window of the hallway leading to the study lounge. The soft white light from the mid-afternoon sun gracefully outlined his pale features, setting his perfectly-coiffed hair aglow. He was resting his forehead against the glass, one knee drawn up while the other foot dangled off the seat. He was looking out the window, a frown etched onto his porcelain face.

"Hey."

Kurt started and glanced at Blaine. A smile registered briefly on his face before disappearing again as he turned to look back out the window morosely. Blaine frowned as he made his way over to sit down opposite his boyfriend. He reached out a hand to rest on Kurt's knee, but stopped when he saw a set of papers lying next to Kurt's foot. The hand fell limply into his lap.

"Kurt," he choked out, his voice revealing the sudden onslaught of fear and betrayal he felt. "What – what are those?"

He didn't look at Kurt. He was too busy staring at the words written across the top of papers.

William McKinley High School – Transfer Student

It was a while before Kurt spoke.

"I've been thinking about it for a while, now." His voice was a hoarse whisper that finally brought Blaine's gaze back up to meet his.

"Since when?"

Kurt let out a laugh. "Since Sectionals, if I were to be honest with myself."

"But – why?"

"Because I don't belong here, Blaine."

The words slipped out before he could stop them.

"But you belong with me."

Kurt blinked at him before a smile graced his face once again. It was brief, but in that instant Blaine could see his features soften and his eyes light up. But then the moment was gone, and Kurt became stone-faced again as he shook his head.

"Of course I do, Blaine, but you and I both know that a relationship is not a reason to stay in a place where I feel trapped."

"Trapped? Why do you feel trapped here?" Blaine asked, frowning. "I'd have thought that being able to be who you are without any fear would be freeing."

"But I'm not free, Blaine," Kurt said with an overtone of sadness. "I'm trapped like Pavarotti in his gilded cage. I'm a diva, Blaine. I prefer singing emotional songs that mean something. I'm sassy, witty, and I can't be any of those when I have to have the council approve my even having a turn to speak. Not to mention the uniforms," he added, gesturing at his grey pants. "Blazers are nice and all, but I need change. These boys here at Dalton are still trapped in the past, following rules and regulations, learning to be proper gentlemen. It's like living in the Dead Poet's Society except that Robin Williams hasn't shown up yet – nor do I think he ever will."

With a huff he turned to glare out the window at something Blaine couldn't see.

"I miss my friends, Blaine. I miss fighting Rachel for solos and walking to lunch with Mercedes, and having dance-offs with Mike and Tina. I miss being free."

Blaine watched him silently, trying to process this sudden outburst of emotion. He understood, of course. He had missed the few friends he had made at his old school before he had run away to Dalton, but he also knew that the Academy was safer.

"Kurt, I know you miss them, but what about Karofsky? He threatened to kill you, and I-" Fear choked off the rest of his words as Blaine struggled not to imagine what the closeted jock might do to Kurt if he were to return to McKinley. He blinked and a hand was suddenly on his own, warm and soft, trying to reassure him.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, "I'm still just as scared of him as I was before. It's the only reason I knew I had to stay here."

"Then why are you transferring back to where he can hurt you?"

Kurt didn't answer right away. Instead, he let go of Blaine's hand to pick up a paper from the bottom of the pile of papers.

"I found this," he said. "My dad – he was trying to hide it from me."

"What is it?" Blaine asked, taking the paper from Kurt and glancing at the numbers and dollar signs that made no sense.

"Health insurance bill. I did the calculations and there is no way my parents can be affording this if they're paying the Dalton tuition as well." Kurt inhaled sharply. "And if they don't pay the bill, then my dad will have to pay for his medication himself, and I know we can't afford that without insurance and if he can't get that medication then he could have another heart attack and I don't know if he'll be able to survive another one and…"

By now Kurt's eyes had widened and he was breathing in short gasps, fists clenching on his pants as his knuckles turned white. Blaine grabbed his hands and held them firmly in his own.

"Kurt! Kurt, look at me!" He moved closer and looked into his boyfriend's blue-green eyes, which were unfocused and glazed over in panic. "Focus. Nothing has happened to your dad. He's fine."

Slowly, Kurt's gaze settled back on Blaine's. His breathing slowed down to a normal pace and his shoulders relaxed as he grew calm. He blinked, his eyes clearing but not once looking away from Blaine.

"There. Better?"

Kurt nodded, but didn't pull his hands away. Instead, he returned the grasp, keeping their hands joined. He stared at them and began to idly thumb circles on Blaine's knuckles as he spoke. It took the other boy a moment to focus his concentration on what Kurt was saying, and not what he was doing to the skin on his hands.

"I – I know he wants me to be safe above all things, but how can I be safe without him to protect me? He's my dad. He's always been there for me, and if he were to-" He paused and shook his head. "That's why I need to transfer back, Blaine. I'm still scared out of my wits just by the idea of being in the same school as Karofsky, but I'm even more scared of not having my dad around."

He dropped Blaine's hands and drew both knees to his chest, wrapping his arms around them and pressing his face to his legs. Blaine moved closer, reaching out to touch his hand.

His voice muffled, what Kurt said next nearly broke Blaine's heart.

"I finally got you and now I have to leave you. It's just not fair."

Blaine took Kurt's hand and, with his other, lifted his chin up so that he was looking into Blaine's eyes. Blaine moved close, so that his lips were centimeters from Kurt's, whose breath brushed across them like a breeze. Blaine tried not to stutter as he whispered to his boyfriend.

"You'll always have me, Kurt."

Before he could close the gap himself, Blaine felt Kurt's lips already pressed against his own.

The first time, Blaine had kissed Kurt. The second time they had both met halfway. This time, however, Kurt had initiated the kiss, and Blaine discovered that it made his head spin and heart race in his chest in a way it hadn't before. Kurt brought his hand up to rest on his cheek, thumb just grazing his earlobe, sending electric shocks throughout his body. Blaine gasped against Kurt's lips, drawing in his cocoa butter and almond scent. It had the further effect of making Blaine feel even dizzier than he already was as Kurt moved his lips against Blaine's eagerly.

For a boy who claims to have almost no experience with kissing, Blaine mused as Kurt continued his ministrations, he surely has some – holy shit how is he doing this to me?

Blaine had let out a noise somewhere between a gasp and a groan as Kurt sucked on his lower lip. His body shuddered and he forced himself to pull away before things got too heated. Breathing heavily, Blaine blinked open his eyes to meet Kurt's own hazy ones. His face was flushed and his lips were red and swollen. A grin appeared on his face and Blaine felt one spread across his own in return.

He moved back, away from Kurt, allowing the suddenly cool air of the hallway bring down the temperature on his cheeks. He kept Kurt's hand in his, though, mimicking the circles Kurt had been making earlier with his own thumb.

Glancing at the papers once again, Blaine felt the smile fall slightly from his swollen lips.

"I'm not entirely thrilled about it, but if this is what you think is right, Kurt, the you should do it. It's not my place to try to stop you, and I will support you in whatever you choose to do. Just promise me one thing?"

Kurt's smile widened in gratitude, eyes shining as moisture threatened to overfill them.

"Anything," he breathed.

Blaine grinned back.

"Promise me that I'll always have you, too."

If Kurt launching himself at Blaine and crashing their lips together was any indication, then Blaine supposed the answer was yes.