When you slowly close your eyes

Replay the moment in your mind

Breathe in and give it away

Breathe out and give it away

Give it Away by Deepest Blue

Kurt wasnt sure how long he had knelt there, but eventually the floor became painful on his knees. He peeled himself off slowly and hobbled to the sofa where he curled in on himself. He couldnt straighten his body fully, his ribs would cry out in pain if he tried, but he tucked his knees closer and felt the tears come fast and free.

He was cold; he had started to shiver almost as soon as James had left, but he couldnt find any warmth. He covered himself with one of the big cushions he had bought for their sofa a couple of weeks ago. He remembered priding himself on the perfect complimentary match in colour, but now he loved that it was so big it covered his legs as they curled against his sore ribs.

The sun set as Kurt laid there, the colours changing as the light dipped through the drawn blinds. He felt thirsty, opening and closing his mouth, which was tight with lack of movement. His jaw ached, but he knew there was no breakage. He was less confident about his ribs.

He walked to the kitchen, not able to fully straighten his body; it hurt too much. He poured himself a drink and decided to check out the damage. It was a shock. His full-length mirror, something that he had insisted on buying when he first moved in with James, now made him recoil in disgust. James had beaten him badly, and though he had suffered in silence, deliberately not giving James the satisfaction of hearing him scream or cry out, the damage was obvious on his body. The bruises on his temple and under his eye swelled and showed an array of colours that spread like tie-dye. He stripped slowly, inspecting the bruises that littered his normally pale skin along his hips and thighs where James had kicked repeatedly. He felt along his ribs and hissed in pain. Finally, seeing himself so weak and changed at the hands of another, someone that was supposed to show love, made him crumble. He fell to the floor again and sobbed.

The light went out as he knelt there, the sun giving up for the day and finally leaving Kurt in semi-darkness. He glanced at the windows; covered in their blinds and realised he was trapped. There was no escape if he was locked in, no way to contact another without his phone, but as he saw the blinds and felt his heart lift a little. There was always Blaine.

Adrenaline kicked in as he realised he needed to get out, he had to escape and Blaine was the only one that could help him. He struggled up and grabbed a dressing gown before he stumbled to the window. He walked too quickly for his weak legs. The thought that Blaine might not be in was too much; he opened the blinds quickly, wincing at the pain in his ribs. Eyes darted as he took in the opposite apartment. Blaines curtains were wide open too but he could see nothing except his piano and the bed nobody there. He felt his heart sink, tears filled his eyes at the thought of having to stay here on his own and no one would help. But just as he went to turn away, the sight of the empty apartment just too much to handle, Blaine appeared in the room. Kurts heart almost leapt out of his throat.

Blaine seemed to be pacing, not really sure where he was headed or why he was there but he chanced a glance at Kurts apartment, something he had been doing often that day. He raced to the window when he saw and the sight caused him to shout. Kurt was clearly in pain, his body not standing tall or straight, his face a mottled collection of colours. Blaine gesticulated wildly. Was James there? Was Kurt ok?

Kurt seemed to understand the mad signs and indicated that he had no phone and that James wasnt here. Blaine grabbed his jacket and keys, tried to tell him he was coming over. Relief flooded Kurts soul.

It was only as he was waiting for Blaine, who he knew would be running over, that he realised James might come back at any moment, might catch Blaine here. The sudden quick knock to the door woke him up. The door was locked, Kurt had no way of opening the door and Blaine carried on banging desperately.

"Kurt!"

"The doors locked, James removed the handle," Kurt said. Blaine paused, and then there was a thud as he ran to the door.

"Be careful!" Kurt shouted, "Dont hurt yourself."

Blaine ignored him as he rushed again at the door, harder this time but still not enough to break it down. He tried one more time and he hurtled in, stumbling through the door as he rushed in, causing Kurt to take a step back.

"Are you ok?" Blaine said quickly, desperately, though his eyes finally could see all the damage that James had inflicted on Kurts face.

"Yes, Im ok," Kurt said, because what else could he say? He was alive, he could walk and he could breathe. Tears filled Kurts eyes at the pain in Blaines face, that he had caused that worry, that sadness.

"He did this?" Blaine whispered. Kurt nodded, letting the tears fall.

"Because he knew Id been out with you. I dont know how he knew." Kurt whimpered, lowered his head but Blaine came closer, lifted his chin with just a finger.

"Where does it hurt?"

Kurt brought his hand slowly over every part that hurt, his hips, outer thighs, face, ribs, his hand finally hovering over his heart. Blaine looked pained.

"When will he be back?"

"I dont know. I think hes gone to the theatre so maybe not until later."

"We have to get you out. Can you move?"

Kurts eyes widened. He nodded his head.

"Good, sit on your bed," Blaine said, leading him to the bedroom. "What should I pack? Wheres your bag?"

Kurt indicated under the bed and Blaine dragged it out and opened his closet.

"We should just take the essentials, we can come back with the police."

Kurts eyes widened in panic.

"No Blaine, we cant call the police, hell get angry. Hell hurt you, I cant let…"

"Kurt, Kurt, calm down."

Kurt didnt realise he had sounded so panicked. Blaine was kneeling by his knees, clutching his hands to try and calm Kurt down, imploring with his beautiful brown eyes. Kurt felt his heartbeat slow down.

"Its ok Kurt, Im here, James cant hurt you now."

Just the words, said so calmly and from one that he could trust so well, made Kurts eyes fill with tears, but he smiled instead of letting them fall.

"Now what do you need? What shall I pack?"

Kurt directed him to his favourite and most comfortable clothes and told him what toiletries he couldnt live without. Soon he was all packed, taking memories he didnt want to risk leaving behind in case James took his anger out on those things that were left. He took photo albums, a perfume bottle that had belonged to his mother and his home videos.

"Is that everything?"

"I think so."

"We should get you changed."

Kurt looked a little shocked at the mention of we, but he nodded. Blaine seemed to understand his reticence.

"Ill just stand here, turn my back, I promise."

Kurt started to change, had thought he could manage but he winced then groaned loudly as his ribs screamed at him in pain.

"Kurt?"
"I cant do it alone," Kurt whispered, feeling so pathetic, but Blaine was instantly behind him by his closet.

"Ill close my eyes Kurt, tell me what you need."

"I cant lift my arms to put the T-shirt on."

"Lets put a button-up on instead," Blaine said calmly. As the dressing gown rested tied around Kurts lower half, Kurt turned to face Blaine with the button-up. He almost laughed at the sight of Blaines scrunched up eyes, an effort to keep Kurts modesty intact.

"I think were beyond all that," Kurt said, "You can open your eyes Blaine."

Blaine looked a little relieved as he opened his eyes, but he soon started work on Kurts shirt buttons. His hands were careful as he did the buttons slowly, his eyes kind.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered. There was an exchange, something passed between them and Blaine smiled.

"Youre welcome."

Kurt pulled a face when he realised.

"Whats wrong?"

"I cant bend down, I think Ive broken a few ribs." Blaine seethed, but said nothing. "I cant put my underwear on by myself."

Kurt got a pair of boxers and weakly held it in his hands. Blaine nodded, accepted his new mission as if it was a matter of life and death. He knelt in front of Kurt. As Kurt rested his hand on Blaines shoulder, he placed his legs gingerly in the holes of the boxers. Blaine blushed as he brushed the underwear further up Kurts muscled legs until Kurt could pull up the rest and Blaine grabbed the overnight bag off the bed to distract himself. He swallowed.

"Right," Blaine said, "Ready to go?"

Kurt took a final look around. He was hoping he would never have to come back here and the thought filled him with hope. It had never been home, but he had tried to make it all a success and it had failed. He couldnt close the now broken door but he never looked back once he crossed the threshold.

Blaine took him quickly to his own apartment and sat him down at the stool in his small kitchen. He got a pack of frozen peas and took Kurts hand to rest it over his temple where the biggest bruise was. He took the first aid kit in the corner and found some alcohol wipes.

"This will sting a little but I need to clean your lip."

Kurt involuntarily licked his lips, realising for the first time that his lip was broken and crusted with blood. Blaine cleaned it carefully, slowly, holding Kurts chin to keep him there. Kurt watched as he took care of him, how methodical he was, how careful not to hurt him further. Kurt blinked away tears.

"Im worried about your ribs, I think we should get you checked out."

"No," Kurt said instantly, his eyes wide and although Blaine hated it, he nodded in acceptance.

"You dont want to call the police?"

"I dont know," Kurt said, looking down at his hands, resting in his lap.

"Theres no pressure Kurt, I promise, but I think you should press charges and the sooner the better, so they can see what hes done to you."

Kurt understood, but the thought of seeing James again, even in court or to get the rest of his things, filled him with a deep dread. He couldnt admit, even to his closest friends, how wrong he had been about James, how low he had been driven down. Blaine saw the struggle and took his hands gently in his warm fingers.

"We dont have to decide now, lets get you to safety first."

Kurt looked surprised.

"You cant stay here, Kurt," Blaine said kindly. "James knows where I live. This is the first place he will go. Can I take you to a friend?"

Kurt thought hard. James knew where Santana and Rachel lived too. They had frequently stayed there before they moved in together and Kurt couldnt face the idea of staying where his friends might say I told you so. He could go back home to Lima but, he knew his dad would be horrified at his face and would go after James. He couldnt do that to Burt.

He had nowhere to go. He shook his head.

"Can I take you to my friend Tessa?" Blaine asked, now stroking Kurts hand with his thumb. "She lives with Ruby, but Im sure they wouldnt mind sharing, so you could have the bed."

"I dont want to impose."

"You wont. Let me do this for you, let me look after you."

Kurt felt a little helpless, but he nodded weakly. Blaine took Kurts hand and led him to the door.

"Will you be there too?"

Blaine was surprised. "Do you want me to be?"

The thought of leaving Blaine now, being away from someone so dependable and caring, filled him with panic and Kurt nodded frantically. Blaine stroked his hand once again to reassure him.

"Then of course Ill be there," he said calmly, "Ill always be there."

Kurt relaxed and sighed as Blaine grabbed a few things in an overnight bag. He took Kurts hand again gently, suddenly wondering when it had become so easy to be so affectionate to Kurt, and smiled.

"Are you ready?"

He really was and he nodded. They hailed a taxi and got to Tessa and Rubys apartment a little while later.

---

"Blaine?" Tessa opened the door amidst chaos and was surprised to see her best friend there. Kurt was hovering by the side of the door unseen.

"Would you mind if Kurt and I stayed for a while," Blaine was saying, "I wouldnt ask unless it was really important."

"Kurt?" Tessa seemed very confused but her face immediately changed when she saw Kurt, who came out of the shadows.

"Oh fuck," she instantly said, her mouth coming to cover her mouth in shock. She hurried them in and called to Ruby, who was walking from her room. She looked less surprised to see Blaine and Kurt and didnt flinch when she saw Kurts injuries. She bit her lip, seemed to struggle to control her emotion and walked calmly to make tea. Tessa was less calm.

"What the fuck? How did this happen? Who did this to you? Have you called the police?"

"Calm down, Tess," Blaine was saying as Kurt sat down in the comfiest spot on the sofa. He said nothing, though eyes roved over him as if he wasnt completely there.

"James did this," Blaine said. "Kurt had to get out and he couldnt stay with me. I hope you dont mind."

"Of course I dont fucking mind," Tessa said waving her hand about as if Blaine was being ridiculous. "Thats not the point. Have you called the police on this motherfucker? You cant let him get away with this."

"Just take your tea," Ruby said, forcing a warm mug into Tessas hand and a cookie in her mouth. "You need to stop talking."

Tessa protested with a mouthful of cookie, but Kurt was grateful as he accepted his mug of tea.

"Are you ok?" Ruby asked as she sat next to Kurt on the sofa. He nodded thankfully, but didnt really know what to say. It was so obvious that he wasnt fine. "How about you take a bath? Ill make it while you drink your tea and you can take as long as you like."

Kurt sighed at the thought and nodded.

"Good," Ruby said, glad she could be useful and she went to make the bath. As Tessa finished her cookie, she had witnessed Rubys behaviour, understood a little more of what Kurt needed and she simply waited. Blaine finished making tea and let the silence envelop them.

"Do you need anything? Painkillers?" Blaine asked Kurt as Ruby returned. Kurt shook his head.

"I think I might fall asleep if I did that. Ill take the tea in there if you dont mind?" Ruby directed him to the bathroom, showed him all the towels he could borrow and left him to the peace and quiet. As soon as the door was closed, Blaine turned to face Tessa expecting her demeanour to change at any moment.

"Blaine, what the fuck?" She was quieter, but still incredulous.

Blaine was weary. It caught up with him; all the desperate panic, the adrenaline, the need to fix things instantly and he flopped on the sofa, closing his eyes against the tears threatening to flood his face.

"What happened?" Ruby asked quietly.

Blaine relayed what had happened: the casual glance out the window to check on Kurts apartment once again, the shock of finding him battered and bruised and the tough attempts to knock the door down. Ruby took it all in, didnt register surprise, only sadness that it had come to this. Tessa was outraged.

"Weve got to call the police, get that fucker arrested. He cant go around doing that to people like Kurt. Fuck, he cant do that to anyone. He cant get away with it."

"I dont have Kurts permission to do that," Blaine said his fist clenched in frustration. He wanted nothing more than to physically hurt James himself. "Kurt needs a safe place at the moment and James thinks Kurts been unfaithful with me. My apartment will be the first place he looks. We needed to get out of there."

"Well, thank god Kurts free," Tessa said, already tired with it all.

"Hes going to need you so much," Ruby suddenly said, looking to Blaine.

"Id do anything for him," Blaine said instantly, his eyes sure and confident as he looked to Ruby. She smiled and nodded.

"Good, Im glad."