If someone were to ask Kurt Hummel if, given the chance, he would do it all over again, Kurt wouldn't know how to answer. Blaine was no longer Blaine. Slammed doors made him jump, a hand on his shoulder was quickly recoiled from, and a smile was a rarity Kurt greeted with relief. Would Kurt do it again- force Blaine to let his demons out from behind bars for them to study out in the open?

Kurt scrutinized the boy reclined beside him on the hospital bed, those once vivacious hazel eyes were focused on the far wall, lost in some world Kurt couldn't follow to. He touched Blaine's arm- trying to ignore the immediate tenseness it ignited in his lover, "Where are you today?"

Blaine's eyes drifted toward him, "Nowhere. Just thinking."

"How was work?" Kurt ventured, running his nails lightly over the exposed skin of Blaine's arm.

Blaine frowned, "The dean's not happy with me."

"Inappropriate song selection for a tour group?" Kurt teased. He had hoped to elicit a smile, but Blaine relaxing slightly beside him was almost as good.

"Not exactly," Blaine's eyes went back toward the wall. "Apparently my lack of enthusiasm doesn't do much for recruiting new Dalton students."

Kurt frowned, he closed his fingers around Blaine's forearm and squeezed lightly, "Enthusiasm is what you do best."

"I-" Blaine sighed and fell silent.

Kurt brushed his thumb across the soft skin on the inside of Blaine's arm. "You what?"

Blaine seemed to come back to himself for a moment; he gently pulled Kurt's hand into both of his and massaged his palm lightly, his head dropping down onto Kurt's shoulder, "I'm just... stuck."

Kurt felt an ache in his heart both good and bad- the sudden show of affection was a warm relief, but Blaine's voice was as lost as it had been all week. "You'll get unstuck; you're doing better already."

Blaine didn't reply, he worked his fingers over Kurt's hand, his eyes focused on their fingers.

Kurt closed his eyes and pressed his lips to the top of Blaine's head, inhaling the clean smell of his hair. Like this, he could pretend nothing had changed. He could pretend it was the first morning of summer and he and Blaine were still in bed together basking in nothing but the warmth of the other's presence. But things had changed. He was in a hospital bed, but while he healed, Blaine spiraled downward. Kurt opened his eyes and turned his cheek into the soft, dark curls, "I love you; you know that, right?"

Blaine's hands stopped their work and closed around Kurt's, trapping it between his palms. "I won't pretend to understand why; but yes, I know that."

Kurt frowned and lifted his head from Blaine's to study the other boy's face. "How could I not?"

Blaine's tilted his face up toward Kurt so their eyes could meet, but his head remained on his shoulder. Those eyes told Kurt more than any words ever could.

He pulled his hand free from Blaine's hold, pressed his palm to Blaine's cheek and his lips to the scar on his forehead. "I loved you at your best and I'll love you at your worst until you find your feet again."

"What if I can't?" Blaine's eyes searched Kurt's, "What if this is all I can be?"

"They didn't make you and they didn't break you, Blaine. I know you're still there." Kurt brushed a thumb across Blaine's scruffy cheek.

Blaine pressed his hand against Kurt's and closed his eyes. "You're too good to me, you know that?"

"I try to be what you deserve." Kurt settled back against the pillows and pulled Blaine closer, his ribs aching only slightly in protest.

Blaine smiled weakly for him, "I love you, too."

Switching roles had been strange to Kurt. Blaine who had always been the one to know exactly what to say and just when to squeeze his hand when Kurt's confidence was shaking, was suddenly the one who needed someone's hand to hold and smile to remind him he was still capable of something. Kurt stumbled blindly through the role, a rescue worker searching the rubble of an earthquake he had created, but every once in awhile; he found some beautiful piece of hope in all that wreckage. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Blaine's mouth. "Are you going to read to me?"

Blaine pulled a dog-eared novel from the nightstand, thumbing through the pages to where they'd left off. When Kurt had asked him to bring in The Impressionist the day after the breakdown, Blaine had studied him curiously for a long moment before agreeing to bring it with after work the next day. They'd sat together for hours each day, Blaine reading the pages aloud, his body relaxed beside Kurt's like it hadn't been in weeks while Kurt enjoyed the sound of Blaine's voice.

He'd taken it for granted- that endless, mindless chatter. Kurt had never stopped to consider how much he loved the sound of Blaine's voice. Fast-paced and loud when he was excited, stumbling over his words to get them all out as fast as his ideas formed. A warm, deep note when he murmured reassurances into Kurt's ear; breathy and rough in the throws of passion. Kurt had never thought that that sweet melody of endless words might grow quiet. But now, Blaine's words were few and far between, lacking the inflections that had once made Kurt laugh and smile and blush. So that stream of words in that sweet tenor- even if they were only the echoes of print on pages-was like a drug for Kurt.

"You two might be the cutest, most boring couple I have ever seen."

Blaine startled at the sound of the female voice, his eyes flying from the pages of the book to the doorway.

Kurt settled him with a hand on his arm, but smiled at his newest visitor. "How kind of you to finally grace us with your presence."

Nadia smiled and strode across the room to plant kisses on both boys' cheeks. "Not my fault that I've been in such high demand."

Blaine had relaxed again beside Kurt, "How was the recital?"

"Brilliant." Nadia climbed onto the end of the bed, lifting both Kurt's casted and good feet into her lap, she eyed the unadorned black plaster. "Are you sure I can't sign this?"

"We are not seven years-old, and I don't trust you to write something I'm comfortable having stuck to my leg for another five weeks." Kurt rolled his eyes.

Nadia pouted briefly, but then reached over to squeeze one of Blaine's feet. "Why the long face, Honey Bee?"

Blaine forced a quick smile for her. "Just tired."

"Maybe you'd feel a little more lively if you two did something besides cuddle and read like a retired couple." Nadia tickled Kurt's good foot.

Kurt made a face at her and tried to pull free of her grip, "There's sex in the book, N, I'm sure even you could enjoy it."

Nadia leaned forward and snatched the book from Blaine's lap; she frowned at Blaine, "You're reading this again, Blaine?"

Blaine shrugged, "Kurt's never read it."

Nadia turned her attention to Kurt and smiled confidingly. "Don't ever give Blaine a good book. He'll read it five times and tote it around with you guys everywhere."

Kurt smiled affectionately at Blaine, "I think it's sweet. I'll be on the look out for Blaine-worthy novels once I'm out of here."

"If you ever get out of here." Nadia tapped her fingers on the cast.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Kurt rolled his eyes, "And I'll have you know I have been promised my freedom if I make the PT happy this afternoon."

"You didn't tell me that." Blaine raised his eyebrows.

"We don't ever talk about my physical therapy sessions. I guess I just sort of forgot to mention it." Kurt shrugged as casually as he could. In truth, he never told Blaine about the sessions-they were as grueling emotionally as they were physically, a stressor Kurt had never felt the need to put on Blaine after seeing his reaction to the rib check-up early in the hospital stay.

"Well, it's good news, right?" Blaine smiled hopefully.

Kurt felt like his heart broke a little at the sight of that smile; he squeezed Blaine's hand in his. "Yes, Blaine; it's very good."

"Can we stay for it and be cheerleaders?" Nadia squeezed Kurt's foot between both hands.

"You're going to break my other foot and then the whole thing will be moot." Kurt pulled his foot free from Nadia once again. He glanced at Blaine who was looking hopefully at him still. "Sure, you can stay."

Nadia clapped her hands together. "Excellent. All right, now I have big, giant, magnificent news and I have you, Kurt Hummel, to thank for it."

Kurt raised his eyebrows and glanced around the hospital room, "You know I haven't made it past the end of the hallway for weeks, right?"

"You moved floors." Blaine murmured. Kurt glanced his ways, hoping for a playful smile, but Blaine was apparently quite serious in his comment. His eyes were following a nurse passing Kurt's doorway.

"After you got yourself holed up in here, and you wouldn't wake up and he was a mess, and I didn't know what to do, so..." Nadia twisted an aqua tinted feather from her hair around her finger, "I danced."

"You always dance." Kurt quipped, glancing at Blaine to see if he was at least paying attention. He was pleased to find the dark haired boy's eyes on the girl seated across from them.

Nadia made a sound of irritation, shaking her head; "I mean I choreographed my solo routine. It was to 'I Need a Doctor'."

"If this is some sort of implied call for help, I would be happy to give up my time with the psychiatrist to you." Kurt smiled briefly.

"Seriously; could you two cut me a break for like a fucking second?" Nadia pulled her purse into her lap to dig through.

"All right, fine; what's the big news then?" Kurt rubbed at a spot on his neck where the strap of his sling had scratched his skin raw.

"My instructors liked the routine so much, they told me to take it to competition, and the competition judges liked it so much, they gave me first for my division and sent me to a bigger competition, and the judges there loved it too." Nadia's eyes were on her lap, a smile pulling at her mouth so much she couldn't possibly hide it.

"So they gave you first, too?" Kurt guessed with a grin.

Nadia shook her head, her voice shook, "It's so much better."

"I was unaware of a slot above first in competitions." Kurt quirked an eyebrow.

"They gave me this." Nadia held out a brochure to the boys. "It wasn't a competition really; it was an audition for a scholarship."

Blaine took it from her and fanned it out for he and Kurt to study. It was for a dance prep school on the west coast.

"I'm in." Nadia whispered, then laughed. "I'm into their prep program for next year then they help you find a spot in an undergrad program when you graduate!"

"Nadia, that's wonderful!" Kurt reached out his free arm to her to squeeze her hand in his.

"You're getting out, N." Blaine smiled weakly, his eyes moving from the pamphlet to her.

"I'm getting out." Nadia's eyes shone with tears, "We actually did it, B. We're free."

Kurt did not miss the falter in Blaine's smile or the fact that he remained mute.

Nadia, in all her euphoria, did not seem to notice Blaine's silence, her attention turned back to Kurt, "So, Kurt Hummel, thank you for fucking up your life enough to save me from mine."

"I'd say anytime, but I'd really rather not make a habit of this whole thing." Kurt squeezed Nadia's hand once before letting go.

Nadia prattled on about the routine, about Kent Dance Prep, and about anything else that came to mind. Despite her bliss, her eyes drifted to Blaine's face more and more as time passed, her tone became more subdued, and then she suddenly cut herself off entirely. "Talk."

"Excuse me?" Kurt frowned.

"Not you. Him." Nadia tilted her head to meet Blaine's eyes. "What happened, B?"

Blaine looked startled, "Nothing. I just don't have anything to say."

"Bullshit. The only time you don't have anything to say is when something's eating at you. Spill."

"He had a migraine when he came in; he hasn't had a lot to say all day." Kurt lied smoothly. He'd used the same excuse on countless others who had suddenly become uncomfortable in the presence of such a somber side of Blaine. Only Burt Hummel had ever thought to frown and study Blaine's face cynically before begrudgingly accepting the headache anecdote.

Nadia, too, seemed suspicious. She leaned forward to touch a hand to Blaine's forehead. He flinched and shied away from the touch. "Don't baby me, N. I'm just not feeling well right now. Show us a part of your routine."

Nadia dropped her hand into her lap and studied Blaine for another moment before nodding slowly and climbing off the bed. She shoved the few small pieces of furniture against the furthest wall, complaining the entire time she wouldn't be able to do any movement in a space so small.

Despite her displeasure at the room's size, Kurt was mesmerized by the fluid movements; the raw emotion. He momentarily regretted quitting his ballet lessons when he was six.

"I hope you're planning on showing me something similar today, Kurt." A man in navy scrubs leaned in the doorway, his eyes moving from Nadia to Kurt with a grin.

"Something comparable." Kurt smiled back, he motioned a hand toward his companions. "This is Nadia and Blaine. This is Justin, my PT."

Nadia stopped in her routine to greet Justin with a coy smile and an extended hand. "So you're the angel putting our little Kurt back together again."

Justin didn't seem bothered by Nadia's flirtatiousness. He shook her hand heartily, "I don't have him quite to where you are, but it's a work in progress."

"Give me a few more days." Kurt was already shifting toward the edge of the bed, "Usually the nurse brings me to you; what's the occasion?"

"My two o' clock cancelled, so I had a little free time on my hands. You look ready to go." Justin dragged a wheelchair toward the bed where Kurt already had his feet already slung over the side.

"Born ready." Kurt smoothed his hair with a quick flit of his fingers as he settled into the chair.

"That's what I like to hear." Justin looked at Blaine still seated on the edge of the bed. "Is your entourage coming?"

"We're here to play cheerleaders today." Nadia demonstrated a quick cheer kick, her hands fluffing imaginary pom-poms together. "Go; fight; win."

Justin laughed, "Fine by me if it's fine by him."

Kurt nodded briefly, he glanced at Blaine, "You want to come, don't you?"

Blaine nodded; he slipped off the bed and padded alongside Kurt's chair.

Nadia flirted mercilessly with Justin as they moved down the hall toward the PT room, her voice an endless stream of bouncing notes and giggles. Blaine was mute at Kurt's side, his eyes following passing nurses and opening doors. Kurt reached out and squeezed his hand.

"Your dad not around today, Kurt?" Justin asked coolly as they turned into an open door.

"He finally had to go back to work full time." Kurt rolled his eyes. "He's called three times today."

"Well, make me proud this afternoon and he can hover over you endlessly in the comfort of your own home." Justin put the breaks down on the chair.

"Gee, how motivating." Kurt rolled his eyes.

"If you two just wanna take a seat over there, that'd be great." Justin motioned to a row of plastic chairs against the far wall.

Nadia and Blaine sat down in their designated spot to observe.

"All right, Kurt-" Justin's eyes were on a clipboard he'd pulled from a crate filled with identical wooden plaques.

Kurt shrugged his shoulders up and down five times, throwing Justin a withering look.

Justin laughed and wrote something in his notes, "All right, I get it; you know the routine. Just for that though, we're going to switch it up."

"Fine." Kurt sighed, "What next?"

"You think you still need that thing?" Justin nodded toward the sling.

"You're the professional. You tell me." Kurt rubbed at the raw spot on his neck again.

"I say lets get it the hell out of here." Justin reached around Kurt's back to pull the strap from behind his neck. "How's that feeling?"

Kurt flexed his arm at the elbow a few times, rolled the shoulder and ignored the dull ache it elicited. "Good. Great."

"All right, show me what you can do with it. Both arms out front." Justin led Kurt through a set of movements- his arms out one way and then the other, squeeze a tennis ball, throw the ball, and flex at the elbow.

Kurt threw Blaine a wink as he flexed the newly freed arm. "Impressive, right?"

A shadow of a smile graced Blaine's mouth, he was watching intently, "Very impressive."

Nadia clapped her hands together and cheered loudly.

"I'm giving you the all clear on the collar bone," Justin scribbled something on the clipboard. "How about your feet? How are you feeling about them?"

Kurt glanced down at his feet. This had been what he'd kept quiet from Blaine-standing still was one thing, walking had not been coming so easily, "I guess we'll find out."

"Good sport." Justin had learned early on not to ruffle Kurt's hair, so he clapped his hands together in a show of enthusiasm instead. He knelt down in front of Kurt's chair. "Cast-free foot, please."

Kurt lifted it into Justin's palms easily. He kept a passive face as Justin pressed his foot forward and back; bending his leg at the knee. When he asked Kurt to press his foot back against his palm, Kurt had to lock his jaw to keep from flinching just a little.

"That's all right?" Justin eyed Kurt suspiciously as he pressed against his foot a little harder.

"It's fine." Kurt replied flatly.

"I'm not gonna bump you a letter grade if it hurts a bit." Justin glanced over his shoulder toward Blaine, "You know this kid pretty well; is he lying to me?"

Blaine looked surprised to be addressed; his eyes went questioningly to Kurt.

Kurt let out an irritated sigh, "Fine, it hurts a little."

Justin nodded, "That's all right. It's going to hurt for a while until your middle heals up all the way. Other foot."

Kurt lifted the more awkward limb to Justin's hands; when Justin pushed it in toward his stomach, Kurt couldn't cover the grimace it elicited.

"How bad is it still hurting?" Justin let the pressure off the leg, slowly lowering it back to the wheelchair's footrest.

"On a scale?" Kurt glanced toward Nadia and Blaine.

"One to ten." Justin nodded.

"Six-point-six." Kurt mumbled.

"What's the highest you could be at to give walking another shot today?" Justin sat back on his heels.

"Something much higher." Kurt said determinedly.

"Don't push it too hard, Kurt." Blaine's voice was soft.

Kurt met his boyfriend's eyes. "I'm not."

Justin nodded; he lowered the footrests on the wheelchair, "We'll take it slow and see what happens. Let's get you on your feet before we try anything else."

Kurt got himself up easily enough, enjoying the added support of his liberated arm. He stood in place while Justin watched the second hand on the clock go around twice. "Do I pass?"

"Yeah, you get a shiny gold star for being upright." Justin walked over to a tall cabinet, he pulled a cane with a wrist strap from its contents and brought it over to Kurt, "All right, so I know the crutch didn't work out... at all. So we're gonna try something different."

"Do tell." Kurt peered curiously at the newest attempt at promoting his mobility.

Justin took Kurt's wrist in his hand, "So these two little straps go around your wrist here, and then you hold it just like a regular cane."

Kurt studied the thing for a moment, pressing a little weight down on it.

"We should get you one of those real classy ones with the pewter heads. Blaine's Dalton uniform will pale in comparison." Nadia smiled.

"Let's give this guy a shot first." Justin cleared a few things from the space between Kurt's position in the middle of the room and the wall, and then studied the newly opened space with a frown. "New plan; sit down for a sec."

Kurt settled back down into his wheelchair, "What are we going to do?"

Justin grabbed a hold of the handles and dragged the chair back until its back was against the opposite wall. "Bigger work space."

"You're joking, right?" Kurt felt a pang of anxiety studying the twenty or so feet between himself and the far wall.

"You want out of here, right?" Justin quirked an eyebrow, "I'm assuming you live in something bigger than a five-by-five square."

Kurt shot Justin an irritated scowl, "How far do you want me to go?"

"You like that handsome guy over there, don't you?" Justin smiled briefly.

"Yes, what's your point?" Kurt snapped.

"So go get him." Justin winked.

"You're not serious." Kurt sat back in his chair, beginning to resign himself to another week in J241.

"As a heart attack. Come on, Kurt, how bad do you want this?"

Kurt met Blaine's eyes and the two stared at one another in silence.

Blaine rose to his feet; he smiled, "Come on, then."

That smile was enough to make Kurt at least want to try; he shoved himself back to his feet.

"Thatta boy." Justin took a step closer to him. "Remember, I'm right here if you slip up; just take it slow."

Kurt's eyes went to the floor to study his feet. He shifted the good one forward and then the casted one. He paused and was relieved to feel no shakiness in his knees; no pain making him dizzy enough to drop to the floor.

"There's one." Justin encouraged.

"Come on, Kurt." Nadia cheered and clapped her hands together, but remained seated.

Kurt took a few more tentative shuffles forward, a dull ache forming in his abdomen; his right knee trembled just a little. He glanced up and was a little devastated to see he'd only covered about a foot of space. But Blaine's eyes were focused entirely on him, showing no signs of drifting away to some lost memory.

Kurt held that eye contact as he pushed himself forward; when the pain intensified, he kept going. He wavered briefly at the halfway point. He let out a breath he'd been holding.

"Kurt, if-" Justin touched a hand to his arm.

"I'm fine." Kurt bit out, but when he took another three steps, he stumbled. He pressed his weight into the crutch to steady himself.

Blaine made to move toward him.

"Don't." Kurt held Blaine's gaze. "Don't move."

Blaine reluctantly took two steps back; his brow knit in concern.

Kurt inhaled deeply, trying to find some secret source of strength within himself. He remembered wet cement; the footrest of his car; the sound of rain. He'd made it through that. He could do this. He moved forward.

He held onto nothing but that memory; drowning everything else out until suddenly he had stumbled again, but he didn't need to overcorrect with the cane. Familiar arms caught a hold of his. And then laughter. Beautiful, perfect laughter.

Nadia jumped to her feet, shrieking with excitement, "Kurt, you were brilliant!"

Justin was applauding too, but Kurt didn't care. All he cared about was the wonderful sound of that laugh, and the happiness in the hazel eyes in front of him.

Kurt smiled, feeling almost near tears. He wrapped his arms around Blaine and whispered in his ear. "I told you you're still in there."

Would Kurt do it again if he could redo it all? Force that glass wall to shatter?

Absolutely.