Everyone watching gasped – the natural colour of Blaine’s skin was barely visible beneath the vivid bruising scattered across his torso. They ranged from old, slightly yellow ones, to the very recent, dark purple ones. The marks littered his stomach and his chest, but they snaked along his arms and his neck too.

After a few seconds, he dropped his shirt, unable to look the others in the face. The doctor’s eyes were wide. Her jaw had dropped, but she composed herself quickly.

“Ellie,” she said to a passing nurse, who stopped and turned. “Take all of these people up to my office.”

“All of them?” The nurse said, raising an eyebrow, bewildered. The doctor nodded.

“Blaine, you and your friends can wait in my office; the waiting room is getting overcrowded. I have to tell my boss what you just told me, and the police will most likely be informed, okay?”

He nodded and she walked away. Kurt took his hand as the nurse led the group of people through the hospital. After a few minutes, they reached a rather large office. The nurse smiled, told them they wouldn’t have to wait for very long, and left. Everyone was staring at Blaine, who was starting to feel panicky. Kurt led him to a chair and pushed him gently, making him sit. It was one of the Warblers, Nick, spoke first.

“I’m sorry Blaine.”

Blaine gave a light shrug. “Don’t be, none of this is your fault. You couldn’t have done anything.”

“Yes we could have!” he said. “Maybe not about your mother-”

“My mamma,” He said, closing his eyes.

“Yes… Sorry Blaine, your mamma. But we could have protected you from him. We’ve always known that you and your father don’t get on but this… this is an entirely different thing.”

“I didn’t want to be a burden,” Blaine whispered.

“A burden,” Nick repeated, outraged. “Blaine, you’re our friend. You aren’t some little kid that doesn’t shut up about their shitty little problems. We’ve known you for years…”

“Nick…”

“He’s right Blaine,” Jeff said, his voice heavy. “You should know you can always come to us, any of us. Blaine, you’re my best friend. I would have helped you, even if you just needed to vent, to talk about everything. I would have listened. We all would have. Don’t you remember the share circle we used to do at Dalton?” Blaine gave a shaky nod. “And you know how much it helped me when I went came out.”

“It wouldn’t have helped,” he said, but David, another Warbler, cut him off.

“Yes it would have! Blaine, how long has this been going on? How long have you been suffering in silence?”

Blaine didn’t say anything. He finally looked away from them, tears blurring his vision.

“Blaine?” It wasn’t a Warbler that spoke this time, but Mercedes, from the New Directions. He looked up at her, slightly surprised that she knew his name. “Blaine… you have to tell them how long it went on for. They’re your friends. We’re your friends, and we need to know.” He still didn’t say anything. This time, it was Jeff that spoke.

“Was… was it happening while you were at Dalton?” Blaine nodded. “…For the whole time?” Again, he nodded. Jeff’s hands curled into fists and he grit his teeth.

“I’m sorry. I… I didn’t want you to find out. All of this is my fault.” He whispered.

They all broke out into conversation, telling him not to be so stupid and that he couldn’t be blamed for any of it. Blaine’s breathing quickened. He started to hyperventilate, tears falling from his eyes. His chest was tight, but he felt numb. He slipped off his chair, onto the floor, but everyone around him carried on talking. It was deafening.

“K-Kurt,” he managed to gasp. “Kurt, please…”

“Shut up!” Kurt roared to the others, who instantly fell silent. “Shut the fuck up you morons! He’s… Blaine, what’s wrong? Talk to me Blaine,” he said, kneeling beside him and taking his hands.

“My… my mamma… she’s gone! I’ve been left with him!”

“I think he’s having a panic attack,” Nick said, crouching beside Kurt. “He used to get them all the time when he first arrived at Dalton.”

Kurt just nodded. “What does he need?”

“Um... well he needs to calm down,” he stammered, earning him a reproachful glare. “But that’s obvious. He needs a distraction or something… anything. You could always kiss him.”

Kurt rolled his eyes. “What did you used to do?”

“We sang to him…”

He nodded again. Immediately, his hands moved to Blaine’s back and started rubbing a spot between his shoulder blades gently. At this, Blaine’s breathing calmed slightly, but he was still panicking. So Kurt started singing.

“Another day has gone, I’m still all alone

How could this be, you’re not here with me

You never said goodbye, someone tell me why

Did you have to go, and leave my world so cold?”

Blaine froze. He managed to focus his gaze, his hazel eyes meeting Kurt’s blue ones. Kurt continued to sing but this time, the Warblers’ voices joined his.

“Every day I sit and ask myself how did love slip away

Something whispers in my ear and says

That you are not alone, I am here with you

Though you’re far away, I am here to stay.”

Blaine’s breathing had almost returned to normal. He was now sitting still, although his body was still trembling slightly. He shuddered when the New Directions joined in, but he didn’t look at them – he only had eyes for Kurt.

“But you are not alone, I am here with you

Though we’re far apart, you’re always in my heart

But you are not alone.

Just the other night, I thought I heard you cry

Asking me to come and hold you in my arms

I can hear your prayers, your burdens I will bear

But first I need your hand then forever can begin.

Every day I sit and ask myself, how did love slip away

Something whispers in my ear and says

That you are not alone, I am here with you

Though you’re far away, I am here to stay.

You are not alone, I am here with you

Though we’re far apart, you’re always in my heart

You are not alone.”

Blaine’s grip on Kurt’s hands was tight. Kurt knew that it’d worked, and that his panic attack had subsided. He gave him a small smile, slightly surprised when it was returned.

“Thank you Kurt,” he whispered.

Someone cleared their throat. They all looked around to see the doctor from before stood in the doorway, two policemen behind her. Judging by the looks on their faces, they’d seen what happened.

“Blaine? These officers would like to speak to you… alone.”

He started shaking again, looking at Kurt, who sighed.

“You can do this,” he whispered, pulling him into a gentle hug. When Blaine started to protest, he sighed. “I believe in you. Blaine, you’re not alone.”

With a wince, he got to his feet. “Do… Do I have to do this on my own?” The doctor nodded. Blaine only hesitated for a fraction of a second. Then, he sighed, said goodbye to the others, and followed the three adults from the room.

Kurt watched him go sadly. He got up from the floor and sat on top of the desk, a frown on his face. It wasn’t fair that Blaine had to be alone. Deep down, Kurt knew that this would help him, but it didn’t make things any easier.

The atmosphere in the room was tense, and slightly awkward.

“Okay, let’s just do this now,” Rachel said, turning to the boys of Dalton. “You may as well accept the fact we’re going to beat you at regionals.”

“Rachel, you’re doing this now?” Artie asked, throwing her a furious glance.

“Yes, I am! They need to accept it. They’ve just heard us sing, so they know they don’t have a chance in hell of winning against us, I-”

“Berry, do everyone a favour and shut up,” Kurt hissed.

“I just-”

“Blaine just had a panic attack because his mother committed suicide. He’s just revealed to you all that his own father has been beating the shit out of him for fuck knows how long, and now he has to give a statement or whatever to the police. Yet you want to talk about regionals?!”

“Kurt, we need to-”

“Shut the fuck up!” His voice was so full of venom, she flinched. Rachel bowed her head and mumbled an apology. Santana gave him an impressed smirk. Not many people could silence Rachel Berry when it came to singing.

“You have to understand that none of this is your fault.”

Blaine gave a bitter laugh, turning his back on the police officer. They were alone in another , slightly smaller office. Her partner was stood outside the door and the doctor had obvious returned to work.

“You don’t get it, do you? He does this because I think I’m gay. If I wasn’t, we’d be a normal, happy family.”

“It’s no excuse for him to do this.”

“You don’t know for certain that he has though, do you?” He snapped.

“Actually, we do.”

This surprised Blaine. “What do you mean?”

“He confessed. The bastard must have realised what was going on when we asked to talk to him and he confessed everything.”

“So… what’s going to happen?”

“You’ll have to give a written statement. And we’ll conduct an interview that will be recorded, and shown in court as evidence.”

“I won’t have to go to court?” The police officer shook her head. “Why?”

“You’re a minor, and if we think it’s a danger to your mental health, you can give your statement on a recording.”

“My mental health – what, so you think I’m some sort of nut job now?”

She sighed. “Blaine, do you want to have to give your statement in court?” He stopped, and then shook his head. “Exactly – you’ll be in a room next to the courtroom, watching everything from the cameras. We have to do this a lot.”

“Really?” He asked, surprised. The policewoman nodded.

“Oh yeah – you’d be surprised. I’m not allowed to discuss them in detail, but there are a lot of cases similar to yours. The victim has to be in a different room because of the emotional trauma. I know what you’re going to say,” she said when Blaine opened his mouth to speak. “Believe me, I do – I hear it all the time. You can handle, it, you’re a strong person, whatever. But Blaine, the amount of times I’ve heard people say that, yet when they stand up to testify, they break down… The whole case just collapses. I would hate for that to happen.” Blaine just nodded. “And in any case, I think your friend, Kurt, would storm into the courtroom and snap the judge’s neck if you had to be in the same room as your father.”

Blaine laughed at this – it wasn’t bitter like before, but genuine… real. She gave him a kind smile and patted his shoulder.

Once Blaine had written his statement and their interview had been recorded, she told him he could go. When he hesitated, she sighed – he was obviously shaken up from having to re-live everything that had happened over the years.

“Hey, Blaine… Look at me. I know it hurts, okay? Believe me, I do. I know what you’re thinking, I don’t understand. You’re wrong. Why do you think I joined the force? Actually, don’t answer that.” She stopped and took a piece of paper and a pen from her pocket, writing down a phone number quickly. “This is the number for my personal cell phone, okay? If you need to talk, just ring me. I’ll be happy to listen.”

“Thank you,” he managed to gasp.

“Don’t mention it… Seriously, don’t.”

He smiled and walked back to the other office, where he knew his friends would be. He was surprised, however, to see that they had gone. The only people inside were Kurt, his father, Finn Hudson, and a woman he didn’t know.

“You must be Blaine!” The woman said, instantly pulling him into a hug. He froze, his eyes wide.

“Mom, get off him,” Finn said, pulling her away gently. “Sorry Blaine… This is my mom, Carole.”

“Um… hello,” he said awkwardly. He raised an eyebrow at Kurt, who rolled his eyes.

“Carole and my dad are dating,” he said. “They have been for a while, and now they’ve decided to move in together.”

“Oh… um, congratulations…” he said a little uneasily. Burt gave him a small smile and nodded his thanks, but Carole beamed.

“Bless your soul,” she said, an arm around his shoulders. “Burt told me about your awful situation. I hope you don't mind?" Blaine shook his head to reassure her he didn’t. “Well… it’s all moving fast, I know. But when Burt told me you’d be living with him, I thought he’d need some help – three teenage boys in one house, goodness me!”

“Th-three?” Blaine repeated. She nodded.

“I’ll be there too dude,” Finn said from behind his mother. “It’ll take me a while to get used to as well, don’t worry.”

He could only nod. “You… you don’t have to let me stay with you. I can find an aunt, or something to stay with.”

“Listen kiddo,” Burt said, stepping forwards, “I told you, you’re welcome to stay with us for as long as you need. Kurt seems to trust you, which means I do too, okay? If you’re good enough for Kurt, you’re good enough for me.”

Blaine just nodded again. He was so overwhelmed, and had no idea what to say.

“We’re going to head off, okay?” Carole said. “I’ll leave you to join us… You can get your things from your house now if you want, I’m sure Kurt won’t mind helping you with it-”

“Of course not,” he said. They said goodbye to Burt, Carole and Finn.

“Thank you,” Blaine said quietly.

“If you thank me one more time, for anything, I’m going to punch you in the face. Hard.”

He laughed. Their faces were unbelievably close. Kurt only hesitated for a few seconds. He took Blaine’s face in his hands and pressed their lips together. Blaine froze, but responded almost immediately. The kiss only lasted for a few seconds, and when Kurt pulled away, Blaine was grinning.

“Kurt…” He said in a soft voice.

“Yeah?”

“Thank you.”