Kurt thumbed through the list of contacts on his iPhone. He’d just hung up from talking to Isabelle, telling her about the attack and that he needed to be here right now. He’d got the time off any way for Thanksgiving but he felt the need to tell her and hope she’d divert anything she’d send him, to someone else or deal with them herself for the time being. A tear slips down his weary face as he looks at Rachel’s name. His arms remembered the hugs they’d shared as he left for Lima. She was still in New York and wouldn’t be there for a day or two. He had so many people to tell but at the same time he really didn’t want to. He wasn’t even sure he could get the words out if he tried. They deserved to know though.

He looks down at the sleeping form of his boyfriend and his heart breaks a little more. The evidence of the night that almost destroyed their lives is still plain to see on the gorgeous young man. The gauze and taping, the angry red marks still blazing around his neck, all proof of the depths of evil and how oblivious they’d all been.

Kurt lies down and wraps his arms around Blaine’s waist, cuddling up close and lets the tears flow. How did life go so wrong, so quickly?

Ringing interrupts Kurt’s internal monologue and he almost swears out loud as he grabs it and answers, checking Blaine’s face but the teen sleeps on peacefully.

“Hi Kurt!” Rachel’s cheerful voice comes through the phone and it’s all Kurt can do not to burst into tears right there and then as he gets up carefully and leaves the room.

“Rachel.” He gasps as soon as he’s out in the hallway and sits down next to a tired looking Cooper at the top of the stairs.

“What’s wrong?” She immediately demands and Kurt sighs as Cooper’s arm wraps around his waist and he puts his chin on Kurt’s shoulder, seeking comfort.

“Rachel, you-you need to listen and let me talk. I don’t know how to say this and it’s really, really hard.”

“Ok.” She whispers and Kurt’s heart twinges as the innocence. After last night it seems like all the innocence is gone from Kurt’s world and everything is a little tarnished with the stain of the evil deeds he’s witnessed that seeing the flipside is almost too much to bear.

“Rachel last night I…damn. Rachel, Blaine got attacked and-” He gets out before she interrupts.

“He what?” She shrieks and he holds the phone away from his ringing ear for a second.

“Rachel,” Kurt admonishes, already at the end of whatever was keeping him going enough to have this conversation. “Blaine’s dad attacked him. I told you once he’s not like Burt, or your dads. He’s, or was, homophobic and he hurt him last night. He’s fine, he will be fine but at the moment he’s not. I just wanted you to know.” He says, aware of Cooper’s tears seeping into his shirt and a little breathless from the arm that tightens around his waist.

Silence fills the line for a few seconds and Kurt uses it to loosen Cooper’s grip and wrap his own arm around him. “Oh my God,” Rachel finally replies in a whisper. “Do you want me to tell everyone? I’ll tell everyone for you. You look after everyone there. How-how’s Finn?” She asks and Kurt smiles a little, this is why he loves her.

“He’s coping. He’s confused but we all are. Thank you Rachel. I have to go. Bye.” He says and hangs up after her whispered reply.

He opens up the ‘to do’ list on his phone and deletes telling Rachel and their friends.  Next is calling Mr Schue and letting the school know, right before looking at the pamphlets the doctor gave him and he’s dreading it.

“Carole,” Burt whispered as he watched Kurt calling Mr Schue from the kitchen doorway, far enough away so neither of the young men at the top of the stairs could hear nor see them. “It this normal?” He asked. He was used to Kurt in pain, Kurt in turmoil and Kurt angry at the world but the quiet, peaceful Kurt plunging forward with the details with barely any emotion was something Burt had never seen before.

Carole stepped up to his side and watched Kurt on the phone while Cooper rested his head on Kurt’s shoulder, still deep in his own head. “Yes. It’s a form of trauma. He’s going through the motions, doing what he needs to do before he can deal with it all. He’s staying strong for Blaine and Cooper and even Finn and us. He’s used to being the strong one. If he doesn’t take time for himself and go through all the crying he needs to he’ll break down eventually.” She said sadly and Burt stared at her.

“How did my kid turn into me?” He whispered.

Carole smiled and patted his arm, stretching up to kiss him on the cheek. “Because as much as you tell him he’s so like his mother, he is you.”

Burt blinked back tears and made himself a promise not to let Kurt break apart.

He watched as Cooper got up and walked into the living room to watch TV and sit with Finn and Kurt hang up and walk back into his room. He walked up the stairs and cracked the door open, watching Kurt curled up next to Blaine, both boys awake, talking quietly.

“Kurt,” He whispered and they both looked at him. “Can you come with me please?” He asked and Kurt looked at Blaine. Blaine smiled serenely and nodded. Kurt got up and followed him downstairs. “Grab your coat.” He said, taking his own off of the hook by the door.

“Where are we going? I can’t leave Blaine too long.” Kurt said hesitantly, still taking his coat off the hook and putting it on though.

Burt smiled at him and opened the door, ushering Kurt outside before anyone noticed. “He’ll be alright with Carole, Finn and Cooper for now. Trust me.”

“I always do, Dad.” Kurt replied quietly as they got into Burt’s car and started driving away.

They drive for a while until they got to deserted woodland with no-one for miles around. They parked up and got out. Kurt looked at his dad curiously.

“Kurt. You need to let out all your feelings, all the pain and hurt and confusion. You can’t be strong constantly so I want you to go into the trees and scream. Scream for as long and as loud as you want. Let everything out.” Burt said, resting his hand on Kurt’s shoulder and looking into his son’s eyes.

Kurt’s eyes widened a little and looked into the trees, feeling the pressure in his chest already, his body already looking for the escape. He looked at the trees and nodded, then walked into them without a word.

Burt almost lost sight of Kurt as he walked further away but caught glimpses of his coat between the trees. He barely had time to cover his ears before the screaming started. Long wails of pain and anger filtered through the trees, scaring birds from their nests and rattling branches with their force Burt sobbed himself a little then suddenly Kurt was running back through the trees towards him. He wrapped his arms around his son and held on tight, the force of Kurt running into him pushing them back against the car.

Burt held on to Kurt and let him let go, huge, wracking sobs erupted out of both of them. He wrapped his fingers in Kurt’s hair and rubbed his back, giving everything he could to comfort his boy as his world broke apart.

The light was fading before they finished, Kurt stepping out of his father’s arms and blushing a little, feeling better than he had in a long time. Burt took a tissue out of his pocket and they both started laughing. Kurt hugged his dad again and they walked back to the car.

“I love you Dad.” Kurt whispered as he opened his door, wiping at his eyes and nose.

Burt smiled, whispering. “I love you too son.”

They got home to clinking cutlery and quiet voices. Around the kitchen table sat Carole, Finn, Cooper and Blaine who seemed to be dressed in a loose top of Kurt’s and a pair of his yoga pants. Kurt and Burt shared a look. Oh Blaine.

Blaine’s eyes lit up as he turned to look as the others waved at the latecomers. He grinned around his food and wiggled a little in his seat as Kurt came over and sat next to him. Kurt watched, wondering not for the first time if the reason for the wiggling was, as puppyish as Blaine was, because right now Kurt was the only person in the world that Blaine was completely sure would never hurt him and he needed that safety, making him happy.

Carole laid a plate in front of him and smoothed a hand over his hair, then patted Burt’s arm as she laid a plate in front of him.

They ate in relative silence, absorbed in their food and thoughts. Blaine tangled his foot with Kurt’s not long after he sat down and their feet stayed joined until they’d finished and wandered into the living room.

Kurt sat down on the couch; Blaine curled up against his side and Cooper on the other side of Blaine. Finn sat down in his chair and Burt and Carole sat in their own chairs.

They watched the game in silence, Kurt and Blaine having fun tangling and untangling their fingers, finding it soothing for both of them as Cooper had an arm wrapped around Blaine’s waist.

Suddenly Cooper brushed a curl of Blaine’s that had come loose of his gel and managed to brush against the nape if his brother’s neck. Blaine snapped his head around and the room went silent.

“Sorry.” Cooper said, stunned at the look in Blaine’s eyes. Liquid honey had turned to fire and he was terrified.

“Baby,” Kurt tried to snap Blaine out of it as his fingers clamped down on Kurt’s painfully. “Blaine it’s ok, it’s just Cooper. He didn’t mean to, you’re ok.”

“Don’t touch me.” Blaine spat, his eyes wild and still fixed on Cooper who was cowering back on the couch.

Kurt placed a hand on Blaine’s cheek and got him to turn his head until Blaine was looking at him. “Blaine stop. You’re ok. It’s just Cooper.”

Blaine’s eyes softened and his eyes filled with tears. “He touched my neck. I-It…my dad. Cooper…I’m sorry.” He turned his head and looked back at Cooper and they smiled at each other.

“I think it’s time for bed for us. Night everyone.” Kurt said and stood up, pulling Blaine up with him. Blaine nodded and whispered goodnight and followed Kurt silently.

A few hours later Kurt woke to Cooper dragging the mattress out of the room and watching them. They smiled at each other and Cooper came back in as Finn grabbed the mattress to pull it into his room.

Cooper walked over and stopped short of brushing a hand through his brother’s now washed and curly hair. “He always got comfort from having his hair brushed but now…what do I do?” He whispered.

“For now? Just hold his hand and let him know you’re not going anywhere.” Kurt whispered back, looking down at where his fingers were tangled with Blaine’s

“Is that what you do?” Cooper asked.

“It’s what I’ve always done.” Kurt said, remembering the times they’d taken each other’s hands in loving, reassuring gestures of togetherness and a conversation with Blaine in this room, before Blaine knew how to love Kurt back, talking about the touch of fingertips being the most erotic thing in the world.

Cooper nodded and watched as Blaine cuddled closer to Kurt, happy in dreams. Silently he promised never to leave Blaine alone again.

He looked back before he closed the door and saw dark eyes watching him, full lips whispering. “I know.”