AN: I caved – come say hello on tumblr (or explain to me how stuff works…) It's under the same name :)

Chapter 19: Confrontation

Kurt

To say Kurt was nervous was an understatement. He knew he could do it – he and Burt had been practicing enough – but the guy he had to sit in a car with obviously didn't like him. He needed to pass that test though, so Burt would be proud of him.

"Go ahead then Mr. Anderson," the guy practically sneered and Kurt adjusted his mirrors one last time before he slowly pulled out of the parking lot. He had already aced his written test – which was a joke – and now he just had to prove to this douche that he could survive on the streets.

It was snowing lightly as Kurt navigated the roads of Lima, following the man's instructions to a tee, trying to ignore the way he was looking at him and concentrate on the road. Finally they returned the DMV parking lot, and he manoeuvred the car into a spot between two others.

The man next to him was scribbling some things down as Kurt waited with baited breath, but finally he received a curt nod and Kurt knew he had passed.

"Take this inside to get your license issued," he was instructed as a piece of paper was thrust into his hand and Kurt pretty much jumped out of the car and hurried inside the building where Burt and Blaine where waiting for him.

Blaine immediately threw his arms around him when Kurt approached him with a huge smile on his face before he was passed along to Burt, who hugged him tightly as well.

"I'm proud of you kiddo," he told him and Kurt had to turn away for a second to wipe the tears off his face. In all his life his own father had never told him that he was proud of him, and nothing could have made this moment better than this.

"I want you to be," Kurt whispered before he was pulled into another hug.

"Come on. Let's get this license so you can drive us home," Burt told him after Kurt was released once more, and they got in line to have his picture taken. His eyes were slightly red and his hair wasn't cooperating either, but Blaine assured him that while no one ever looked their best on their driving license, Kurt certainly looked good. Kurt just rolled his eyes because his boyfriend was such a suck up, but he would definitely not complain about it.

It felt amazing, driving his own car for the first time, Burt next to him because Kurt thought he deserved to ride shotgun after all he had done for him. He and Blaine had already agreed that they would alternate driving each other to school and Kurt couldn't wait to pull into the school parking lot in his own car.

Later that evening, when Blaine had left to pick up food for them, Burt asked him to join him in the living room.

"I really don't want to ruin your special day, but Mrs. Hoffs called," Burt told him and Kurt paled. Was that the moment where they told him he had to move somewhere else? Had they decided he had to move back in with his mom? Burt must have realized he had scared Kurt because he immediately added.

"It's nothing too bad. She just called to tell me they have finally fixed a court date for your father and you are required to testify."

Kurt gulped. He knew he had to recount everything his dad had ever done to him yet again, if he wanted his father to get punished for it, but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"When?" he asked. "February 3rd," Burt replied and Kurt nodded. That gave him about two and a half week to prepare himself. "What about my mother? What's going to happen to her?"

"She'll have to go to court too at some point, because she enabled your abuser and she tried to keep the paramedics away from you. That's all I know at the moment," Burt told him and Kurt nodded again.

He didn't like thinking about her especially when he was trying to move forward and learn to forget what she had told him.

"Are you going to be okay?" Burt asked after a moment of silence and Kurt looked up to face him. "Yes, I will. Thank you, Burt."

He wasn't even lying this time, because he knew that in time he was going to be fine, all thanks to the Hummels and how much they cared about him.

Blaine

Blaine sighed as he put his phone down after receiving yet another threatening text from a blocked number. The message was always the same. Keep your hands away from Anderson, or you're going to regret it. Blaine knew there was only one person invested enough in his and Kurt's relationship who could send them, but unfortunately he couldn't prove it.

He probably should tell his dad or Kurt about them but he didn't want to worry them. After all, as long as he made sure he and Kurt were never alone with Karofsky they should be all right. Kurt had enough on his plate already and knowing that Karofsky was threatening him, would only make things worse.

One thing however he had to talk to his dad about. He had tried once more to bring the issue up with Kurt, who had deflected again, so he didn't have another choice if he wanted to help his boyfriend get better.

He found his dad in the garage cleaning his truck and Blaine hopped into the passenger seat so they could talk.

"What's on your mind, kiddo?" his dad asked and Blaine tried to put his thoughts in order. "It's about Kurt."

"He okay?" Blaine shook his head. "I don't think so. He's not eating a lot of times and he looks as skinny as he was when I first met him again. I tried talking to him about it, but he keeps telling me it's just stress," he confided in his dad.

"I noticed, but I don't really know what to do about it either, other than making sure he always has enough food available to him," his dad admitted and Blaine sighed.

"I think maybe it's like an eating disorder but I can't help him if he doesn't let me in. I just keep telling him, he looks good as he is, but I don't think he believes me," Blaine added, a blush staining his cheeks.

"I'll bring it up with his therapist. Maybe she has some ideas how to help him," his dad replied after a few moments of silence.

Blaine leaned over to hug his dad. "Thanks, dad. I really just want him to be healthy and happy," he whispered, hoping his dad would find away to make Kurt all better.

Kurt

"Do you know why I asked you to come in today?" Dr. Stine asked him, after he had sat down in the armchair facing her desk. Kurt shook his head.

"Your foster family is worried about you. I got a call from Burt Hummel saying his son is worried you have an eating disorder."

Kurt frantically shook his head. He wasn't like one of those girls who shoved their fingers down their throats or starved themselves to death. He just ate healthy and small amounts to avoid getting fat.

"I don't," he assured her but the doctor didn't look convinced. "Kurt, I have your hospital discharge papers, and I can see you weighed less the second time you were hospitalized than the first, though social services made sure there was enough for you to eat at home. I'm not judging you, I just want to understand what's going on."

Kurt debated for a moment. It wasn't like she could force him to gain weight, so what would be the harm of telling her why he needed to stay skinny.

"I just don't want to lose Blaine," he finally admitted and Dr. Stine looked at him curiously. "What makes you think you would lose him if you looked healthier?" Kurt looked away. "My mom used to tell me that I would have an even harder time finding someone if I were fat. And she was right, I did get fat after Blaine and his dad kept inviting me for dinner and we didn't have any healthy food at home," he whispered before he accepted a tissue.

"Kurt, we've talked about your father a lot so far but I think it's time we spoke about your mother. It sounds to me like she was using every opportunity to make you feel bad about yourself. She used your insecurities against you. The truth is, you are underweight right now and you were underweight the first time you were hospitalized. You are not fat right now, but I know you won't believe me when I say that. I wish I could wave a magic wand and make you forget all the things your mother ever told you but I can't. It's going to take time. You have a good support system in place but they, like me, are not trained to deal with this kind of thing. So, if you let me, I'd like to refer you to a dietary specialist."

Kurt looked at her puzzled. "Someone who can help you gain some weight the healthy way so you won't feel like we are trying to fatten you up, but will still be more healthy. Can you promise me to at least think about it?"

Kurt nodded. The psychiatrist at the hospital had mentioned the same thing about his mother and rationally he understood what she had done to him. But it was easier said than done – letting go of the thoughts she had put inside his head.

But Burt and Blaine were clearly worried about him, and this was the last thing he wanted. He had to give it a try for their sakes as long as he wasn't ready to do it for himself.

He said goodbye to Dr. Stine half an hour later with the promise to call the specialist she had recommended. Before he drove home he looked at himself in the bathroom, but couldn't see what they were talking about. His tight jeans fit perfectly and his stomach was perfectly flat again.

He wasn't sure if he could do it – trust their opinions when he just spent thirty minutes listening to his therapist trying to convince him not to trust his mother's opinions – but he promised himself to at least try to listen to Blaine the next time he brought it up.

Blaine

Blaine was pacing nervously, waiting for Kurt to return from his therapist's office. He was hoping Kurt wouldn't be too mad that he talked about his weight behind his back but he had run out of options and he couldn't risk losing his boyfriend over something like that.

He didn't expect Kurt to gain fifty pounds, but he never wanted to be able to count his ribs again.

Finally, he heard Kurt's car come up the driveway and he sat down on the living room couch, because his dad wasn't home and so far they had obeyed his rules.

Kurt looked deep in thought when he walked inside and he nearly jumped when Blaine cleared his throat.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked tentatively, dreading the answer, but to his relief Kurt shook his head.

"I could never be mad at you for caring and worrying about me, though I still think there is nothing to worry about," he replied and Blaine sighed. Of course it couldn't be as easy as having Kurt's therapist talk to him and everything would be okay afterward.

"Don't take this the wrong way Kurt. I don't think you don't look okay, but you are too skinny. You were doing great for a while but then the thing with your dad happened and we were back to square one. I don't know what happened that made you think you had to starve yourself, but Kurt, you really don't have to. I hope you don't think I'm so shallow as to leave you if you put on some weight," he tried to get through to his boyfriend, who sat perched on the edge of the couch.

He held out his hand for Kurt and fortunately Kurt let himself be pulled closer. Blaine pulled his arm around me and let Kurt cuddle up to him. "You really think I'm too skinny?" Kurt asked incredulously, in a small voice and Blaine nodded.

"Your hips are so bony and you can practically see your ribs through your t-shirt," he explained, hoping Kurt wouldn't be offended. Kurt sniffled. "I thought you would only like me if I were perfect."

Blaine pulled his crying boyfriend further into his arms and wiped his tears away with his thumb. "I've told you before, you are perfect to me. You don't need to change yourself into this version you think is perfect for me. I couldn't care less about your weight as long as you are healthy, and unfortunately, right now you aren't."

They both sat in silence for a few moments while Blaine listened to Kurt's heartbeat slow down again.

"Dr. Stine gave me the name of a food specialist. I've been thinking about calling him," Kurt broke the silence. "That's great," Blaine responded enthusiastically.

Kurt extricated himself from Blaine's embrace and turned to face him on the couch. "I'll try my best to get better, but you need to understand that this will probably take time. I'm going to slip up, and you will have to remind me that I'm not ugly or disgusting. And there will be days when I won't believe you, because I'm still working on getting over years of emotional abuse. So, I'll do my best, but I won't make any promises, I'm not sure I can keep. I hope this is enough for you."

Blaine was surprised to hear Kurt say the words emotional abuse because he had never acknowledged that was what his mother had been doing before, so that was a step in the right direction. He wished Kurt could just accept his assurances but he also understood what Kurt was saying. He might not have a degree in psychology but even he knew that it was hard to get over an eating disorder.

"And I'll be with you every step of the way, I promise," he whispered before he planted a chaste kiss on Kurt's lips that soon turned into something less PG until a throat was cleared behind them and the two of them jumped apart.

"I brought dinner, and no, you can't have each other."

Kurt

Kurt Anderson wasn't one to skip classes but when Blaine got slushied for the first time by some guys from the hockey team, Kurt decided that taking care of his boyfriend was more important than homeroom.

He turn around to give Blaine some privacy as he changed into one of Kurt's backup shirts, before helping him wash the slushie out of his hair.

"I'm so sorry," he told him again, but Blaine brushed him off. "It's not your fault Kurt. Karofsky hasn't much pull with half of the football team anymore, so he recruited the hockey team – that's nothing new."

Kurt knew that but he still hated that Blaine got slushied because Karofsky was a jealous asshole.

The bell had already rung by the time they left the bathroom and walked over to Blaine's locker. The hallway was deserted so Kurt didn't protest when Blaine gently pushed him against it and connected their lips.

Blaine's lips still tasted like raspberry slushie and Kurt had to admit he didn't mind the flavor on his boyfriend's lips.

"Didn't I tell you to keep your hands of him," a voice suddenly growled and Kurt quickly turned around. Karofsky was advancing on them and Kurt tried not to show that he was scared.

"So Hudson was telling the truth," the huge jock continued and Kurt felt the urge to do some unspeakable things to Finn Hudson for ratting them out.

"Kurt's my boyfriend, so fuck off. If I want to kiss him, I'm going to kiss him," Blaine shot back and Kurt grabbed his hand and held on tight. Now he wished they had just gone to class as soon as Blaine had finished cleaning up.

"He's mine," Karofsky growled. "I kissed him first. He knows he belongs to me." Kurt thought Karofsky must have lost his mind if he was ready to admit what he had done in front of Blaine.

"I don't belong to you," Kurt suddenly yelled, having enough of always being the victim. "You know I never wanted it but you kept forcing me, taking advantage of the fact that you are taller and heavier than me. You are disgusting."

By the end of his tirade Kurt was surprised no one had come running yet, but all that happened was Karofsky grabbing his left hand and trying to yank him away from Blaine. Kurt snapped and before he knew it his right fist connected with Karofsky's jaw.

Then all hell broke lose.

AN: I'm actually really worried about how Glee is going to handle the Marley thing. With their track record, Finn is going to sit her down, tells her to stop because she is pretty and bam, healed. But this is not how things work when it comes to eating disorders. I just don't trust Glee anymore to handle important topics like that :(