First of all I would like to apologize for the long wait for this chapter, you see, I wanted to get this one perfect for the fact that this sadly is the final chapter.

It's been so much fun writing this story and knowing it has had such a good reception from all of it's readers' has been amazing for me. The reason this is the last is because i feel this is a good way to end it, on a high!

So I really hope you enjoy and let me know what you think of the story as a whole and if there are any story ideas or requests you would like to see just let me know and i'll get back to you :)

The buzz of competition was finally starting to cause a soft hum of nerves within the competitors as they hurried backstage from dressing rooms to make up with echoes of some practicing scales or just warming up their voices in preparation, unlike Kurt who sat in front of one vanity mirror breathing at a steady pace and staring deeply into his reflection before sighing and closing his eyes for a moment.

Tugging at his tie he loosened it a little but not so much as Wes would think he would look out of sync with the others' even though Kurt was sure the judges' wouldn't deduct points for it. Kurt's eyes looked away to the left and leaned forward to meet Rachel who was quite far away with a broad smile and a friendly wave of encouragement to which Artie and Sam looked over and presented him with a 'thumbs up'.

"Wes wants us all to have a group pep talk before we take our seats in the audience Kurt…" Blaine stopped talking and rubbed his hands on his boyfriend's shoulder lightly as he chuckled loudly for the same reason Kurt currently was. Puck and Mike were making gestures of how they were going to beat them once more, "You'd think after so many of these jibes over Facebook for a week they would get bored huh?"

"Oh Honey, you really have no idea how competitive they are!" Kurt laughed melodically as he finished checking his appearance and stood up to spin on his foot, placing a soft kiss to Blaine's plush lips whilst smiling into it. "Let's go before Wes starts to freak out."

They threaded their fingers' together and Blaine gave Kurt a gentle squeeze as they hurried back to the entrance where the collective of the Warblers' stood waiting with their schedules in hand talking excitedly.

"Where have you BEEN!?" A chorus of laughter followed the exclamation from Wes who pushed through all of them to pull Blaine and Kurt into the group with a look of stress.

"Who had 6 minutes?"

"Damn it Wes, you couldn't stay calm for more than that? I just lost ten dollars!" Wes's face went red in anger as Trent handed over some money to Leon who had a smug grin on his face as he pocketed it and fist bumped a few others'.

"Come on, let's go get our seats before the show starts!" David shouted above them and pulled a very aggravated Wes away as they all followed suit and took their seats awaiting the New Directions' performance. Blaine in turn gripped Kurt's hand a little tighter and beamed at him widely and gestured his head to follow the other boys' to their seats.

"Kurt!"

Blaine felt Kurt's slender fingers fall from his own as he turned to meet the greeting with a confused face before it broke out into a warm smile at the sight of one David Karofsky who stood with his hand in his denim jeans and a blue letterman jacket from the school he had newly transferred to who shyly pursed his lips and shrugged his shoulders.

"David! You came!" In a flash Kurt trotted over to the larger boy and gave him a tight hug that was reciprocated with a friendly smile and chuckle.

Blaine heard voices in the background of his friends' urging him to hurry along with echoes of laughter and hushed conversations as the main hall doors opened a shut behind him. His honeysuckle eyes focused on the two breaking from their embrace to greet each other properly and as they did so the sound seemed to disappear as the swell of warmth filled his chest, the thought of how proud Blaine was of this marvellous boy in front of him, the boy who was the living embodiment of being both fragile yet strong rolled into one.

Smiling to himself he chuckled inwardly and turned to take his place in the audience leaving Kurt and David to themselves for a few moments not wanting to intrude.

It was obvious to those that knew the New Directions' that Rachel would carry the lead vocals, Brittany and Mike would come up with a great dance performance and Mercedes would belt out the last powerful notes in the set list but even knowing this Kurt watched with an unconscious smile and wide blue eyes sparkling with the stage lights floating around the room, amazed that they had once again grown as a group still familiar but yet different at the same time.

A good kind of different.

"We're up next, let's go!" Nick slapped Kurt playfully on the shoulder as the thunderous claps echoing the room started to fade as the curtains closed and the lights dimmed in preparation.

Somewhere between entering centre stage and performing 'Raise Your Glass' Kurt felt the familiar buzz of butterflies gathering in his gut in a weightless cluster and his breathing slow as he tried to collect his thoughts and focus. He inwardly smiled as he adjusted his tie once more in the sudden darkness of the stage awaiting the sudden downpour of light on his porcelain skin as the Dalton boys' dispersed to the side-lines and waited patiently.

His eyelashes fluttered as he seemed to awake from his dream to receive a number of 'thumbs-up' from his school friends before he settled to look at his curly-haired boyfriend with a softened look and as he read his plush lips he could swear he could feel his breath on him whispering.

"….you'll be great, you'll see."

In that moment the onslaught of yellow light beamed down in a concentrated circle, on him as if he were on show for the whole world to see as the starting notes of the song ever so elegantly radiated from the speakers to hush the room and command full attention.

"Someone to hold you too close,

Someone to hurt you too deep,

Someone to sit in your chair,

To ruin your sleep.

Someone to need you too much,

Someone to know you too well,

Someone to pull you up short

To put you through hell."

In that moment the butterflies seemed to fly away, the feeling of relief and passion running through his veins as he lulled his head back with the melody, feeling closer to his mother more than ever before in a way that soothed his aching soul more than painting could have ever done. Meeting his father's eyes he smiled into the words finding happy and a home in himself.

"Someone you have to let in,

Someone whose feelings you spare,

Someone who, like it or not,

Will want you to share

A little, a lot.

Someone to crowd you with love,

Someone to force you to care,

Someone to make you come through,

Who'll always be there,

As frightened as you

Of being alive,

Being alive,

Being alive,

Being alive."

Finn looked up from the audience with a goofy grin as he held Rachel's hand and she gave him a gentle, knowing squeeze back looking from him along the row to check the expression of the others' who only tore their eyes away for a moment to look at each other in knowing.

Puck sat with a smug grin and nodding his head along with a wink to his porcelain friend followed by broad smiles and the faint sign of tears from the girls apart from Santana who rolled her eyes with a playful grin coupled with a shake of the head. The rest of the guys' sat back in awe at the emotion in the song with mouths' agape.

"Somebody, hold me too close,

Somebody, hurt me too deep,

Somebody, sit in my chair

And ruin my sleep

And make me aware

Of being alive,

Being alive.

Somebody, need me too much,

Somebody, know me too well,

Somebody, pull me up short

And put me through hell

And give me support

For being alive,

Make me alive,

Make me alive,

Make me confused,

Mock me with praise,

Let me be used,

Vary my days.

But alone is alone, not alive.

Somebody, crowd me with love,

Somebody, force me to care,

Somebody, let me come through,

I'll always be there,

As frightened as you,

To help us survive

Being alive,

Being alive,

Being alive!"

The last note reverberated around the room as the sudden clash of hands took over in a standing ovation to which Kurt gingerly bowed before shakily exiting the stage.

It wasn't when the Dalton boys' whooped in happiness, they got handed the trophy or when his former glee clubbers' congratulated him but it was when the buzz died down and everyone was set to head back to school for the night… enveloped in Blaine's arms did Kurt feel more at home, more happy….more alive.

Being alive is by far my favorite song by Kurt, when it came out on Glee i knew I had to put it in here, fitting don't you think? Again I would like to say a massive thank you to all my readers, you make it worthwhile.

Hope you enjoyed the story as much as i've enjoyed writing it.

much love,

~Blue