Kurt laughed at Cooper as they walked up the pavement to the Anderson driveway. Cooper was home to spend time with his family and had agreed to pick Kurt up from the airport because Blaine would still be at school when his flight came in and to spend some time catching up.

Kurt laughed as Cooper danced around, joking about the things he’d said last year in the choir room. “I promise Cooper, your advice wasn’t the reason I’m at Vogue instead of at college or Broadway.”

Cooper laughed again and stopped, walking beside Kurt again. “Nah, I’m just teasing you. So how’s it going?”

Kurt rolled his eyes and smiled as he replied. “Honestly, I’m exhausted. I love it and I realised probably five minutes in that I was doing the right thing but it’s tiring and having Blaine still in school…I miss him. It’s hard but so worth it.”

Cooper claps a hand on his back and they grin at each other, starting up the driveway. “So-“Cooper starts then stops as a scream cuts the cheerful mood and dark night. The two men’s heads snap towards the house as another shout and a sound of smashing glass emanate from the house. Suddenly they break into a run and Cooper gets there first, throwing the door open to a scene of carnage.

Kurt stops on the doorstep and gasps, his hands flying to his mouth. Blaine’s school bag lies on the floor, contents strewn across the hard wood and books shredded as someone had obviously thrown it, and possibly its owner, across the floor. There’s broken glass and the stench of alcohol everywhere, some of it spilled on the floor and as Kurt looks closer he holds his hand to his mouth in an effort not to throw up, he sees blood mixing with the liquid.

“Dad stop!” Kurt hears Cooper shout and he runs into the living room to see something he’d hoped he’d never, ever see in his life. Blaine and Cooper’s dad has Blaine by the neck and is obviously trying to choke the life out of his youngest son. Blaine’s shirt is ripped and blood is seeping through the rich blue material. His jeans have blood splashes down them and his face is pale and bloody, a split lip, cuts to his cheek and eyebrow the most visible signs of injury. Blaine’s eyes are closed tight as he scrabbles against his father, legs kicking at the rage-filled man above him and hands trying in vain to loosen the man’s grip.

“Kurt ring 911, now!” Cooper shouts, trying to wrench his father off of his brother and Kurt snaps back from staring at the terrifying sight. He grabs his cell phone from his pocket with trembling fingers and dials, hoping it’s not too late for his boyfriend as Blaine’s hands seem to weaken from the grip on the hands around his neck.

“Hello? I need the police and an ambulance, now!” Kurt shouts into the phone as the operator picks up.

“Okay, can you tell me what the problem is?” The operator responds and Kurt almost curses.

“My...my friend’s dad. He’s strangling him, please help!” Kurt screams as Mr Anderson shifts his shoulder violently, shoving Cooper off him and Kurt thinks his fingers tightened in that second.

“Okay, can you tell me where you are?” The operator responds, sounding a little more alert.

“North Detroit Street, number 601. Please hurry, please!”

“Okay we’ve got police and ambulance on the way. What’s your name?”

“Kurt…oh my god!”

“Ok Kurt, stay with me. What’s your friend’s name?”

“Blaine. Blaine Anderson. Please, please.”

“It’s ok; they’re almost there, Kurt stay with me.”

Kurt hears the sirens and screams at Cooper. Cooper stops, looks at Kurt then shouts at his father. Max Anderson looks at him, rage in his eyes and Cooper reels back, his fist clenched and pours his rage into the swing as he slams his fist into his father’s jaw. There’s an audible crack and the elder Anderson’s hands release, his eyes rolling back and he slumps to the floor as the voices of the policemen flow from the front door.

“Blaine!” Kurt shouts as Blaine slumps to the floor, lifeless. “Oh my god, oh my god. Blaine, baby can you hear me? Please.” Kurt cries and kneels at his side.

Cooper shakes his hand, pain flaring up his wrist and looks towards the front door. “In here!” He shouts and the policemen come into the doorway. “I knocked him out. I think I broke his jaw.” He points at his father and they gather the unconscious man up, signalling the paramedics to come in.

One of the paramedics kneels next to Kurt and lays a hand on his shoulder as the others gather around to check Blaine’s vitals and fix a neck brace to him and get him onto a stretcher. “Hi Kurt, we need to take Blaine now, would you like to come with us?”

Kurt nods and looks up at Cooper as one of the paramedics looks at his wrist.

“We’ll need another for him. His jaw’s definitely broken.” The paramedic attending to the elder Anderson says.

“He doesn’t deserve one.” Cooper spits, hatred in his voice.

The paramedic sighs and stands up after radioing for another ambulance as Kurt is led out after Blaine to the first ambulance ready and waiting. “You should be proud of yourself. You saved his life. Come on, go with the paramedics and your friends, your hand needs to get checked over.”

“My brother,” Cooper bites out and the medic’s eyes widen. “That’s my dad, well, was. He won’t be anymore. Not anymore.” Cooper says and glares at the unconscious man, turns on his heel and walks out, grabbing Kurt around the shoulders and they sit down, crying into each other’s shirts.

The journey to the hospital is a blur. Blaine is barely breathing; he’s a fighter and is clinging to life. Kurt whispers in his ear, telling him how much he loves him, how amazing he is, how proud he is and how he can’t leave him alone in the world.

The doctors are waiting when they get to there and Blaine is ripped away from them as he’s wheeled into the ER, doctors shouting around him, and Kurt and Cooper are steered down to another room where Kurt is settled on the bed, the nurse’s words washing over him as she tries to calm him but all he sees in his mind is Blaine’s bloody face as his father, the man who’s supposed to care for and love him, tries to kill him. He looks down at his hands. Hands like his, like his own loving, caring father’s were wrapped around his boyfriend’s neck just minutes ago. He vaguely notices the doctor checking Cooper’s hand and wrist, deeming it badly bruised but not broken and straps it for him.

“Is there anyone we can ring for you?” The nurse says and Kurt looks at her for the first time. She looks kind, worried. She could be Carole, she has the same loving eyes and uniform as her the few times Kurt had visited his stepmom at work, but she isn’t and right now all he wants is her eyes looking at him full of motherly love and his dad’s hands warm in his.

“My dad. Burt Hummel. I…I’ll call him. Coop are you okay?” Kurt whispers. He doesn’t want this to come from some nurse his father doesn’t know. He looks up at Cooper and the older man nods, a brotherly smile quirking at his face and suddenly Kurt needs Finn. He needs his family desperately.

Without another word Kurt gets up and walks out of the hospital. He takes his cell out and he remembers the last time he got his cell out and his hands shake as he presses speed dial 2. Home.

Burt picks up on the second ring and his voice is full of happiness as he answers. “Hey buddy! I thought you boys were going to the restaurant tonight? You coming home already?” Burt chuckles at something Kurt can’t see and he assumes either Carole or Finn is there with him, good.

“N-no dad. Oh god. Dad.” Kurt breaks down, slumping to the bench behind him, crying hard. How could life have gotten so messed up? He and Cooper were supposed to be taking Blaine out to dinner to celebrate Thanksgiving and being home to see Blaine then back to the Hummel’s for the night but their blissful night had been turned into chaos.

Burt’s voice changes to worried and Kurt can hear sounds of him standing up and two voices in the background. “Kurt? What’s going on? Son? Are you ok?”

Kurt shakes his head for no-one and gasps, trying hard to speak through his pain and tears. “No, dad. Dad it’s Blaine. You have to come. How quickly can you get here? We’re at the hospital.”

“The hospital? Damnit, no Finn wait. We can there in about 45, 30 if I break a few limits. Do you want me to come on my own?” Burt’s voice comes back through the phone and he’s evidently grabbing his keys and coat while fending off Finn.

“Break them dad, please. Can-can you all come? Please.” Kurt starts crying again. Normally he’d be the first to lecture his dad about being careful but right now he doesn’t care. He could lose the best thing in his life and he needs his family there.

Burt’s voice speaks, breathless. “Ok, Kurt. Ok, we’ll be there. Carole, Finn get your coats, now!” His voice shouts as he ends the call, eager to get into the car and come to Kurt’s rescue, as so many times before.

Kurt stumbles back into the hospital and blindly walks back to the waiting room, slumping into one of the seats and stays there, staring at his hands. Even when Cooper comes and sits next to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulders and letting Kurt’s head rest against his shoulder and laying his cheek on Kurt’s hair, he doesn’t move, doesn’t speak.

Dully Kurt realises Blaine’s father must’ve been taken into the hospital and feels slightly scared at the thought that the violent man is in the same place as them, as Blaine and for a second Kurt hopes he dies, ridiculous as it sounds to think someone can die from a broken jaw, he really hopes he does.

“This isn’t the first time,” Cooper mumbles against his hair and Kurt turns his head, dislodging Cooper who sits back, straightening up and meeting Kurt’s shocked, questioning gaze. “Blaine’s talked to you about our father, hasn’t he?” Kurt nods and Cooper carries on.  “After mom walked out he changed, then Blaine came out and he changed more. He tried to turn him straight, as you know. When he failed with that he was angry, all the time. After the Sadey Hawkins dance and Blaine got out of hospital it got worse. I wasn’t there, I wish I was. God, do I wish I was. First it was the remarks. How worthless Blaine was, how terrible, how sick, then it was small things. I’d see the bruises when I came home sometimes and he’d shrug them off or dad would tell him to go to his room or something. I wish I’d tried harder. Did you know I’m self-centred? Well when he went to Dalton he, Blaine, changed. He tried hard in school and to fit in, he got this fake confidence but I could see it, when I was there. Then you came into his life and he tried so, so hard to be like you, comfortable and to be the role model you saw him as. Dad just carried on, mocking him, hurting him. I never even realised how much until recently. He was so scared, he’s alone now here. Alone with that man.” Cooper puts his head in his hands and cries, ashamed at how he missed the truth, even when he saw it clearly.

Kurt sits, stunned, his blood running cold. He knew the man was uncaring and homophobic; Blaine said as much and would take any opportunity to spend time with him and at the Hummel’s; but this? Anyone hurting his gorgeous, loving, sweet, adorable, goofy, hopelessly romantic boyfriend is unthinkable but his own father?

Suddenly everything those last few weeks of school makes sense. Blaine had been insecure, heartbroken over the idea of Kurt leaving, hating the idea and the fact that Kurt spoke of little else. He really had left Blaine alone. Dreams of the next year and graduation had been a temporary salve for Blaine, he’d brought it up again and Kurt wondered if he was trying to show Kurt something he’d been unable to vocalise properly. Hopes and dreams were worthless when you had to fight the creature from your worst nightmares every day.