It took Finn, who was wincing through the pain, a moment to recognize the candy striper. His eyes widened slightly, and Finn felt his body warming from head to toe as last night's conversation returned with startling clarity. "N-no, I don't feel good at all," he stammered out. Unable to meet Damien's gaze, Finn shifted in bed only to cry out as a sharp pang wrenched at his shoulder.

"Hey, woah!" Damien put a hand on Finn's other shoulder and applied gentle pressure to urge him to settle down. "The food's bad, but not so bad that running with a broken leg's a good idea." It wasn't hard to figure out why Finn was so uneasy. "Look, you don't have to be embarrassed. I was gonna tell you the other day but you were pretty out of it. Being bi's not that big a deal. Plus... it's your business, dude. Not gonna out you or anything. Okay?" Damien tried to catch Finn's eye. "What happens in here stays here. Like Vegas or something. Or like I'm a really shitty therapist."

Finn relaxed a little - or as much as he could with the pain shooting through every part of his body. "Thanks, I appreciate it," he managed, somehow mustering the strength to offer Damien a grateful smile. "The last thing I want is for all of Lima to know how I feel about my stepbrother." That went without saying. Quinn already suspected that something wasn't quite right. //Quinn. She's gonna kill me when she finds out I'm in here...// Somehow Finn couldn't be worried. He had more important things on his mind at the moment. //Kurt...// "Has anyone been by to see me this morning?" Finn asked hopefully.

"Not yet," Damien answered, hurrying to amend, "but visiting hours just started, and you need food before you worry about being a gracious host." He wheeled the room's tiny table closer and pulled the cover off of Finn's breakfast. "If you're here tomorrow, you'll get to fill out a menu, request some stuff. Today, we guessed." The plate boasted scrambled eggs, bacon, a biscuit that was more than a little on the soggy side, and a side of fresh fruit. "It ain't the Ritz, but it's all decent. Promise."

Finn wasn't sure if he even felt up to tackling any food. He glanced skeptically at the plate for a little while before his stomach growled and he realized he was hungrier than he had first thought. Another smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he told Damien, "Okay, I'll give it a try." He tucked into his breakfast and found it more delicious than it actually looked. "Either I'm really hungry or this is pretty good."

"It's pretty good," Damien allowed, "but I also tend to assume that you're starving if you're that into it." He smirked as he watched Finn tear into the food. He should have been moving on to another room and checking on another patient, but he found himself kind of liking the guy. "Oh, hey, if you end up with a community service stint, you can do it here. Especially banged up as you look, there are gigs talking to the kiddies in the hospital about the dangers of drinking and driving. Gets it over with quicker than a hundred hours picking up garbage or whatever."

"Oh..." That thought sobered Finn considerably. "I'd forgotten..." He'd been drinking and driving, he could have kill someone... Of course he would have community service, if not something worse. Suddenly losing his appetite, Finn dropped the plastic fork in his half-eaten scrambled eggs. "I am in so much trouble," he murmured with a deep sigh. Not only had he royally fucked things up with Kurt, but there was his scholarship to consider. How would he even start to make amends? "I'm an idiot," Finn audibly beat himself up.

"You're not the first guy to do this. Unfortunately." Damien gave Finn's uninjured shoulder a gentle shove. "Dude, relax. You'll do your community service and you'll live. Things don't go perfect, you hit up community college for a semester and then nobody gives a shit what you did in high school. Seriously. You want me to talk to the coordinator about holding a spot for ya to get your hours?" He knew that Finn hadn't done his interview with the cops just yet, but he'd seen a uni hanging out in the waiting room. He suspected Finn would get to talk to the cops before he talked to his family again.

"Yeah, that'd be great... thanks." Finn was surprised to find his mood lifting a little bit. He didn't know why Damien was being so nice to him. Certainly it went beyond the call of a duty for a candy striper, but if he managed to make a new friend in all this mess, then maybe things weren't quite as bad as he'd first thought. "And, ah... Thanks for keeping everything I said between us," he added, realizing it was crazy to be bashful around someone who had not only bathed him naked, but had seen him raging hard.

"Long as it goes both ways," Damien agreed. "Not exactly eager to have your stepbrother clawing my eyes out." He offered Finn a quick grin and then slipped out of the room to find the community service coordinator. He didn't quite know why he was bothering, but it wouldn't hurt to have a friend when he transferred schools. It seemed that Finn was in need of a friend himself, someone who didn't have a strong picture of who he was before he started questioning his straight and narrow path. //Maybe we can help each other.//

Dealing with the police turned out to be even tougher than Finn thought. Once he was well enough he would face a judge, who would revoke his license and more than likely sentence him to a lengthy community service. When the authorities left, Finn had his first visitor of the day: a very pissed off Quinn. He mostly numb by the time Quinn ended their relationship and stormed out of the room in tears. It had been inevitable. Finn knew that ever since he'd started having feelings for Kurt. He brushed at his own stinging eyes, unsure if he was truly upset for hurting Quinn or pained that Kurt hadn't been to see him yet.

Kurt arched an eyebrow as Quinn brushed past him and Blaine on their way out of the elevator. As the doors closed, he caught a glimpse of the blonde's livid face. "Well, she didn't punch me," he observed to Blaine with a shrug. "I guess that means... unrelated issues?" That would be nice. He didn't exactly relish everyone in the Glee club and the rest of creation hearing what had happened. It had been a stupid mistake, and one Kurt wasn't eager to compound. Besides, he'd never hear the end of it from Rachel. Before he stole away into Finn's room, Kurt kissed his boyfriend soundly and handed Blaine his leather messenger bag. "You will find an adequate supply of good magazines and my iPod in here. You're welcome."

He could just ignore it. Damien considered that possibility. It would have been more comfortable for them both if he did, certainly. On the other hand, if Finn was in the hospital for much longer and Blaine came with Kurt every single day, that would get really uneasy really fast. //You can do this. Stop being a pussy.// Damien squared his shoulders and stepped up to Blaine with what he hoped was a friendly smile. "Hey... look, I just wanted to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to sound like an asshole."

Blaine glanced up from the issue of Vogue Kurt had included, and the sound of Damien's voice made the area between his shoulder blades tighten. "Kurt's the one you should be apologizing to, not me," he replied, closing the magazine and setting it aside. There was no sense in making a scene let alone opening up the past, so Blaine decided to focus on something else entirely. "So, how's Finn doing?"

At first Damien had been sure Blaine was going to tell him to fuck off. When he apparently relented, the teen let some of the tension drain from his body. "He's okay. Worried that his mom'll kill him, worried about his scholarship chances, missing... his friends." The guy had done him a solid listening, and Damien wasn't about to out his crush on Kurt if Blaine didn't know already. "He's lucky to have people who care." A lot of the patients he saw on a daily basis had no one, certainly no one willing to camp out in their rooms to try and entertain them. "And Kurt's lucky to have you." That was true on more levels than Damien really wanted to think about.

Deciding to go for broke, Damien plunged ahead. "We never really talked, but since you're gonna be at McKinley and I'll be starting there too, it... I never meant to... to mess things up so much. I liked you. A lot. Thought it was mutual, and it just got kinda... out of hand, I guess."

Still trying to process the bombshell that Damien would also be transferring to McKinley, Blaine only managed to nod and murmur, "Yeah, I guess it did." Damien had been cool and nice when they'd first gotten together, but Blaine hadn't been ready for the intensity of a relationship and things had only gotten strained and awkward. Maybe it was time to put the past behind them? "How about we call a truce and be friends?" he said, offering Damien his hand.

//Or go find a private place to make out.// Damien almost smiled at the thought but fought the urge. It might have been funny in his head, but saying it out loud would have broken the truce before it started. "I'd like that." He clasped Blaine's hand and resisted the urge to linger on the skin to skin contact, instead withdrawing as quickly as was decent and clearing his throat. Not sure how to make conversation and thus casting about rather wildly for a topic, he ventured, "You cut your hair. Looks good, but... I kinda miss it."

Self consciously Blaine brushed his fingers across the back of his head. His hair had been a lot wilder when he and Damien had been together. "Nice and neat, that's how Kurt likes it," Blaine replied, smiling softly. "He's not too keen on all the product I use, but he's learning to live with that." He could not even begin to imagine Kurt's reaction to seeing his hair the way it used to be. It was beyond awkward talking with Damien again, although Blaine was grateful to find it less tense than before. "So, how's Finn as a patient? Keeping you on yours toes?"

"Nah, he's one of the easy ones," Damien answered. "I like him. That's good. Could use a friend or two heading in at McKinley. I mean, not that you aren't, but..." He shrugged. They both knew that he and Blaine wouldn't exactly be grabbing coffee and chatting about their classes. They weren't there yet, and he had no idea if they ever would be. "Anyway, he's been a model patient. Doesn't even complain about the food, and I wouldn't blame him if he did." //Might as well go for broke.// "I heard about this party coming up for Halloween. Come one, come all, so if you and Kurt wanna come by..." He pulled a flyer out of his pocket and held it out to Blaine. "One of the guys who just graduated Dalton's throwing it. His first big college bash."

"Oh?" Blaine raised a dubious eyebrow at the flyer. If the party interested Damien in the slightest then it had to definitely be classified under 'wild'. "We really haven't made any plans yet," he said, glancing up from the paper, “but I'll run it by Kurt and see what he thinks." A party might be the best thing to take his boyfriend's mind off Finn's accident. If things spun out of control while they were there, he and Kurt could always leave. "Thanks for the invite."

"Sure." Damien felt his spirits lift at the idea that Blaine might make an appearance - even if it was with his new boyfriend in tow. "And tell Kurt he's welcome to invite his friends too. Like I said, this is a cattle call, so... anybody can come on and hang out." He glanced at his watch and sighed. "Gotta get back to it before I get my ass canned, but it was good talking. Really good." The young man nodded almost to himself and then spun on his heel, making his way for the nearest patient room.

Blaine watched Damien leave with a hint of surprise glinting in his eyes. He had expected far more from his ex than a party invitation. //Maybe we can actually be friends,// he thought, although he wasn't quite willing to let his guard down just yet. Being together at McKinley would be interesting, to say the least. Especially if they ended up having more than one class together... Blaine sighed and returned to his magazine, only to let curiosity get the better of him as he unfolded the party flyer and read the details.

Upon entering Finn's room, Kurt felt his heart constrict at the sight of Finn obviously wiping away tears. He hurried to his stepbrother's bedside and reached for the other boy's hand, squeezing it as tightly as he dared. "Are you alright?" He had the sudden urge to reconsider simply ignoring Quinn and see if he could reach the lot in time to let the air out of her tires instead. Drama from her was the last thing that Finn needed at the moment.

"I don't know how I could feel any worse," Finn replied, blinking away tears before Kurt could see more fall. With the all over pain plus dealing with the authorities and Quinn, the day had been one of the worst of Finn's life. And yet, somehow, miraculously, seeing Kurt warmed him and made things seem worlds brighter. "Don't worry about Quinn. She's doesn't know anything. We're over, though. I think it's been coming for a while now." He sighed, glancing at his fingers threaded through his stepbrother's. "I missed you, Kurt."

Kurt almost pointed out that Finn never should have tried to get back with the girl in the first place but held his tongue with an effort. His normal acidic commentary was definitely not appropriate at the moment. "I missed you too. Have they said when you get to come home yet?" The hospital made him markedly uneasy, and Kurt would have gladly taken on more nursing tasks for the benefit of having Finn back at the house instead of hooked up to the monotonously beeping machinery. "I'll see you wherever you are, of course, but this place... bothers me."

Finn understood how Kurt felt all too well. Burt's heart attack had shaken Kurt's whole world to the core. Spending any time whatsoever in the environs of a hospital would be traumatic, and it only added another layer of guilt onto Finn's shoulders. "Doc mentioned something about a few more days," Finn replied, trying to sound optimistic despite the storm cloud rumbling above his head. "I might've been out of here sooner, but I had to go and give myself a concussion." A soft smile lit up the jock's scratched and bruised features. "Funny that should happen, don't you think? Everybody's telling me how thick my skull is."

"No more driving without a helmet," Kurt answered sternly. It was good to see Finn smile even if he still looked wrecked and exhausted. "Well, we'll just have to make do in the meantime." He'd thought of bringing Finn's DS only to realize that it would likely be an exercise in frustration given the other teen's injured wrist. "Your mom is talking to the doctor. She insisted that dad go back to the garage. I don't think he would have listened, but she threatened to go herself if he didn't. I could read to you." The suggestion sounded uncertain. He honestly didn't know what Finn liked to read, if anything. "Or bring something for you to read. I just... I know how boring it can be stuck here."

"It's better with you here," Finn conceded, which was the absolute truth. He couldn't believe the difference Kurt's presence made. //Don't get carried away. It's not like you can make a flying tackle again any time soon.// But Kurt made him sure as hell feel like he could take on the world. "Might not be so bad on my own if there was something decent to watch." Finn nodded up at the mounted TV, where the drama of the 'The Young and the Restless' seemed trite compared to his own. "They could hook up a DVD player or something..." He cut his eyes toward Kurt, boldly murmuring, "...or you could always hop in bed with me?" It was meant to be playful teasing, only Finn couldn't help wishing Kurt would say yes.

Had Kurt been drinking something, he most definitely would have choked on it. As it was, his eyes went wide as saucers, and it took him a moment to recover his voice. He wasn't willing to admit to himself that part of the shock came from a tiny, illicit thrill at the idea. "Finn Hudson, your mother will be here any second!" he chided, hoping to make light of the moment rather than let it settle between them and become more than it should have been. Had Finn teased him the same way a week before, it would have meant absolutely nothing, after all. "You could at least try to behave yourself for her sake." He glanced at the TV. At least it provided enough distraction to give him a moment to think. "And General Hospital is far more entertaining."

"Yeah, well, the offer still stands..." The goofy, crooked grin was still plastered all over Finn's face. It seemed that he still had a little power over Kurt if his stepbrother's reaction was any indication. Maybe it was a little unfair of him to exploit Kurt's weakness? //Why not? It isn't as if anything going to happen...// Deciding to change the subject before his Mom walked in, Finn groused at the TV again. "Not a big soap opera fan, but nothing else's on." He ticked his gaze toward Kurt again, pleased to discover their fingers still entwined. "So, how pissed is Mom with me?"

Kurt considered that and finally sighed. "Pissed. She... well, she spoke to the police. You'll have a hearing and... it just sounds..." Honestly it sounded terrifying. He was of the opinion that Finn had suffered more than enough, but the law obvious disagreed. "But, like I said, I'll be happy to be your chauffeur. Can't have you sitting at home all the time, cast or no cast." He heard the door open and vacated the chair closest to Finn so that Carol could have it. "I'll bring my laptop tomorrow and we can watch something. What would you like me to bring along?"

That made Finn laugh a little, which only served to make his bandaged ribs protest. He immediately waved away his mother's concern. "It's okay..." His gaze shot toward Kurt, and Finn was again struck with a terrible ache at being parted from him. "Kurt!" he started a little too loudly. "Thanks... thanks for coming to see me."

"Of course." Kurt almost asked if Finn really thought that he wouldn't come but decided against it. Instead he just smiled at Finn. He could see Carol's expression darkening slightly and felt a rush of sympathy for his stepbrother.

"The doctor says it might just be another couple of days," Carol said carefully, "but then, of course, there may be some physical therapy depending on how well you heal. And the hearing... it... that's this Friday." She was obviously trying hard not to yell, but the effort showed clearly on the woman's face. "Finn, what in the world were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking," Finn replied, feeling all of ten years old again, "that's the problem." One of the things he hated most in the world was disappointing his Mom, and Finn could not have let her down more this time. "I'm never going to be able to make up for what I've done, I know that." With eyes filled with a despairing sadness, he glanced down at the sling around his arm, then at the cast on his elevated leg. "What I did was the stupidest thing I've ever done. I'm sorry, Mom. You don't know how sorry I am..."

Kurt sort of wished that he'd slipped out to give them time alone. Instead he found himself aching to tell Carol that Finn wasn't entirely to blame for his bleak state of mind, that things were complicated, but he held his tongue. Finn didn't need to be outed to his mother, especially in so awkward and strange a way.

Thankfully Carol was blinking back tears as she reached for her son's hand. "I love you. Nothing's going to change that. I just... I don't ever want to have to see you like this again, you hear me?"

That was a sentiment that Kurt could echo with enthusiasm. "None of us want that," he agreed quietly. "Besides, dad hasn't ever had part time help at the shop that he likes as much as you. He'll be furious if you're out of work for so long again."

Finn didn't think he could take much more of the crushing guilt that was weighing down on his heart. It made him yearn for some kind of oblivion to take all the pain away, even if it was only for a little while. "Don't worry, I'm not going to make a fool of myself again. I promise," he told his Mom and Kurt. //If I can help it,// he added silently to himself. "Guess I'll have plenty to do when they spring me from this place. Do you think my ride can be fixed?"

Kurt winced and offered Finn a sympathetic smile. "Dad's looking at it," he ventured. "It may be a little... rough." The fact was that if Burt could get the car running again, it would still look like absolute shit. He was polite enough not to point out that even if it was running, it would probably be the better part of a year before Finn could drive it anyway. The poor guy had enough on his mental plate. "I'm sure that you'll be able to pitch in and help him getting back in shape as soon as you're feeling a little stronger."

Finn appreciated Kurt's attempt at making him feel better. If the state of his own injuries were an indication, then he pretty much figured his car was a disaster. He hated that he'd foolishly wrecked it, but he couldn't help feeling a little happy over the fact that Kurt had offered to give him free rides. "I'll probably end up living in the garage getting it back in shape," he decided, trying to sound more lighthearted about his car than he actually felt.

"At least that will keep you out of trouble," Carol pointed out with a hint of a smile. "I know hospital food's not all it's cracked up to be, so how about I go and pick you something up, hmm? Any requests?"

Kurt found himself wishing he'd thought of offering the same, but, then, Finn had never been shy about asking for food if he wanted it. //He also didn't used to get smashed and go out for an evening drive.//

"I wouldn't mind a burger and some onion rings," Finn answered, pondering his choices for a minute or two. "If you can sneak it in, that would be awesome." The idea of chowing down on a juicy dose of killer cholesterol perked Finn up a little. He had no idea when the doctor might make his rounds, or when a nurse might pop in, so he urged his mother, "You mind trying now?" As much as he enjoyed her company, he was near desperate for a little more alone time with Kurt.

"Of course," Carol answered with a smile. "Kurt would you like something?"

The young man considered and finally shrugged. "Salad, if they have it."

"Alright, then. I'll get some extra for Blaine too." She turned her gaze to Finn and brushed her fingers through her son's hair. "I'm also going to follow up on contact for a caseworker who may be able to help settling things out of court. Then you could just do some community service and we could all move on."

Kurt knew it was likely a simplistic way of describing things since Finn would probably be grounded for the rest of his life if he was lucky, but he just smiled as the woman exited the room. His attention immediately zeroed in on Finn once more, and he scooted his chair in close. "We'll sneak you out of the house some. I'm sure Glee club could have an 'extra performance' or two if you get really stir crazy."

More at ease now that he had time alone with Kurt again, Finn offered his stepbrother a soft grin. "Thanks. I'm hoping I can avoid cabin fever with you keeping me company." Finn's idea of entertainment, however, was probably far different from Kurt's. If Kurt acted as his nurse, where might a sponge bath lead? Despite the all over ached from his injuries, Finn could not help finding the idea very, very appealing. "You're being awfully nice to me, Kurt. Specially since I oughta still be apologizing to you."

"No, no more apologizing," Kurt argued, shaking his head at the idea. "We both made some mistakes, but... I want things to be like they were. Or at least for us to be in... a good place again. You're part of my family, Finn. A really important part. You're also my friend. Now," he said up straighter and looked the other boy over, "I unfortunately think we'll have to wait until the bruises start to fade before I can cover much up, but this does make 'zombie' a far more attractive option for Halloween wear this year."

"Don't even think about getting me to do the 'Thriller' dance," Finn warned even as another crooked little grin appeared. "You know I'll only end up breaking my other leg." His fingers stretched out, reaching for Kurt's hand again. Finn felt a surge of warmth at the contact and, for a moment, he could pretend that he and Kurt were more than friends, more than family... "I oughta be be scared to death," he decided, lifting his eyes to find Kurt's, “but you being here makes me feel a hell of a lot better."

Kurt couldn't help smiling at that. "Well, I'm glad. I want you to feel better. I hate that you have to be here." He glanced around the room and barely kept from shuddering. The cold gray walls, the smell of antiseptic... his stomach turned, and Kurt tried to shake off the feeling to focus instead on Finn. He was there to make his stepbrother feel better, not indulge his own worries. "No zombies for Halloween," he decided, coming back to himself with an effort. "We'll find something. I also happen to be taking suggestions for my own ensemble."

Knowing Kurt his Halloween costume would be something ultra fabulous, Finn was surprised that he was open to suggestions from him of all people. "Well, I can't really see you going down the monster route," he started, mulling over the myriad prospects. "You were going on about sea monkeys the other day..." Now that conjured up an adorable image, only to be replaced by one more heated. "Or maybe an angel? Just you in a pair of wings and little white shorts... Yeah, that would be hot."

Kurt blushed to the tips of his ears and ducked his head, giving himself a moment to regain some composure. "Well... that is something to keep in mind," he ventured. Kurt couldn't keep from smiling even if he knew he should be reminding Finn that such suggestions were entirely inappropriate. The sound of the door opening made the young man jump. He saw Carol and forced a smile onto his face once more before rising and almost absently bending to brush a kiss to Finn's forehead. Feeling flustered all over again when he realized what he'd done, Kurt chirped, "I'll leave the two of you to enjoy dinner." He barely paused to thank Carol for the bag of food she passed into his care before breezing out of the room.

His cheeks were still blazing by the time he made his way out to the lobby but Kurt was feeling a bit less foolish. The sight of Blaine studiously going through one of the fashion magazines he'd left made him smile all over again. He felt any doubts ebbing away as he slid into a plastic chair next to his boyfriend and fished out one of the two salads in the bag to offer him. As they sat together, Kurt found himself torn between being glad to be out of Finn’s room and back with Blaine and missing his stepbrother’s lopsided smile. //Why did things have to get so confusing?//