My son was supposed to be on a date right now, and he had driven there himself so what the hell was wrong?

"Kurt what's happened, were you in an accident?"

"Dad we're at that restaurant opposite the shopping complex about thirty minutes away. Do you know which one I mean?"

I could hear noise in the background and what I think was Blaine's voice saying 'they've defiantly seen us.'

"Kurt you tell me right now what -"

"Dad! Blaine's seen some guys okay. Guys from his old school and they've seen us. We don't want to go out alone."

"I'll be right there. Don't leave for anything Kurt, call the damn police if you have too but stay where you are. Promise me!"

"Promise!"

"I'm on my way. I'll come inside the restaurant for you."

"Burt what's wrong?" Carole was sat alert trying to listen in and I felt a rush of warmth for the woman who was worried despite it not being her son on the phone asking for help.

"Some guys from Blaine's old school. I think they're going to start something, Kurt would never have rung me otherwise. I'm willing to bet Blaine made him." I kiss her quickly before racing off. The roads weren't going to busy now, screw thirty minutes, I'd be there in fifteen.

I was sick of this. Sick of having to worry whenever my son wants to go on a date. Tired of trying to judge whether he really had managed to have a good day out in public or whether he was trying to protect me again. Sick of societies bullshit that made me feel that way and doubt the validity of my son's happiness.

I told him once he would have to get used to being alone until he found someone as brave as he is. I'm glad he's with Blaine, and I like the boy, but god knows what those kids at his old school did to him to scare him enough that Kurt would call me and tell me about this.

I was driving far too fast and my heart was racing at a speed to match. Kurt wouldn't want to worry me, and I'm glad he has but I know that I have to get there soon before something happens and they up standing outside defenceless.

I sped into the car park and park haphazardly across two bays and making it into the restaurant I see with relief they are still sat inside at their table. Kurt saw me and they stand to follow me out.

Blaine looked more downtrodden than I had ever seen him and Kurt…Kurt just looked pissed. Having to get me to escort him to the car only meters away from them would not have been something easy to convince him of.

They're still holding hands though. My heart swells with pride.

"Where are they, did they say anything to you boys – did they do anything?"

Blaine looked around and made a noise I could only describe as a yelp. His voice is shaken and he whispers, "there, by the door. They followed us out."

I wasn't even aware of the fact I had begun to move towards the group of four lads until I felt Kurt's arm grip my own and pull me back.

"Dad, leave them please."

"Kurt they need to be put in their place."

Kurt nods his head assessing what I just said, and he glances at the group of guys, all bigger and stronger than he is and all of them looking our way, and just when I think he's going to let me go over there and make sure they aren't ever in a position to scare anyone again he's laid his hands on Blaine's shoulders, shoved him into the side of his car and is kissing him so furiously I could feel myself blushing.

"Kurt!" Blaine pulls away and even I can tell he can't decide what emotion to feel like right now.

"Er…sorry about that dad…" It doesn't stop him from doing it again though. This time I cough. "Blaine, you see them looking at us? You know what I just did? I showed them they didn't, they can't beat out of you what makes you so wonderful."

"Oh."

That was so typically Kurt. I couldn't be happier I had had a hand in raising him. God knows I managed it though. He turned out so well.

When neither Kurt or Blaine were looking I did make sure to swipe my finger across my throat threateningly which does succeed in making the guys scram and making me feel slightly better.

"Right lets go home."

"Blaine you go with dad."

Blaine's eyes widen in shock and I frown slightly wondering why Kurt was pushing his vulnerable and scared boyfriend into my car rather than his own. But I listened, and do did Blaine whose only concern is still Kurt.

"Will you drive behind him? I don't want to risk anything. They might follow him."

"They went back inside don't worry." I did it anyway hoping at least seeing Kurt's car in front of us would offer him something. Kurt had faith that I was going to console this kid, in honesty, he probably had a bit too much faith. I had no idea how to be a father to yet another totally different kid.

"He's mad at me."

"Kurt isn't mad at you Blaine."

"Why didn't he want me to go with him?"

"He wanted me to talk to you. He isn't mad, he's just hoping you'll listen to me where you won't listen to him."

It was odd, seeing Blaine looking his age, usually you could be fooled into thinking that this respectful and dapper kid was much older.

I just hoped he wasn't going to cry. Then I'd be the one who would need to stop freaking out.

"I should be able to protect my boyfriend. We didn't even stay for dessert." His eyes are fixed on the car ahead of us and his voice is pained and finally, he's given me something. I could relate to that. Not being able to protect your loved ones. I knew how he felt.

"Who were those guys Blaine?"

"They were from my old school. It looked like they were on a massive group date with their girlfriends, but one of them spotted me and…" Jesus Christ. They had specifically chosen somewhere a half hour away from this god-forsaken town and they still hit trouble!

"Did they do anything?"

"No. They spoke to me though. Insulted Kurt. Threatened us. I knew they weren't going to let us go without some kind of confrontation. Four against two. We wouldn't have made it."

"I did wonder why you called me. Kurt isn't usually one to ask for help."

"I made him."

"How?"

"I had to come clean about some things." He looked sheepish. Like I was going to scold him for lying to my son, but I knew that whatever secrets he kept were the same ones Kurt kept from me before he left McKinley, and I knew they were kept for the same reasons. "It took a lot for my dad to send me to Dalton."

I knew already about the Sadie Hawkins dance, and Kurt had confided in me that Blaine's father resented his son going to Dalton – an all boys school was nothing less than a school for gays in his father's opinion. Not that I thought he deserved such a title…

"The Sadie Hawkins dance wasn't the first, only or last time I was really badly hurt. I don't think Kurt ever really realised that being actually beaten up was a regular thing. I certainly didn't want him to know. Those guys put me in hospital twice, they would have hurt him just to get to me one last time."

"Blaine you did the right thing. You recognised when you weren't safe and you did something about it, you did nothing to endanger yourself or my son. Don't you see that you did protect him? You're both going home safe and that is what matters."

He just nods and I have to ask him something even if I am scared of the answer.

"What would you have done if you had been by yourself and seen them Blaine?" My tone was soft but this kid responds to authority and asking him questions would be only way I could prompt him, he would never offer the answers himself. It also meant he was honest with his answers. He didn't have the guts to stand up to his boyfriend's father and tell him to keep his nose out of his business. I needed to exploit that to make sure he was safe.

"I would have ran for my car and hoped for the best."

"You wouldn't have called anyone or had a staff member escort you out?"

"I," He stutters in a way that makes me wonder if they had even considered that, I doubt it – asking for help from me would have been bad enough for Kurt, he would have hated getting it from a stranger. "I would have been too embarrassed to ask."

"And to call someone?"

"I would never endanger Kurt or my friends like that."

"Someone adult."

"No one would have come."

We pull up to the house where Kurt is already there waiting outside and talking to Carole but I wave them in ahead of us and Blaine understands we aren't finished yet and waits where he is.

I pull out one of my business cards from the pocket in the side of the door and I hand it to him.

"Blaine this is my mobile number. Put it in your phone. I'll come if you need me to." He looks at me for the first time since we got in the car and his eyes are wet but I know that know I've confused him as well. "I know you'll take it and won't intend on ever using it but think about how mad Kurt would be if you don't ring when you could have and you end up hurt. Me as well. You have no excuse now. Doesn't matter where you are or what time it is. You ring me."

He nods and looks at me in wonder, I see his hands are trembling slightly and his voice is hoarse when he thanks me.

"Finn will come as well you know. He's a real good brother to Kurt and he's said to me he will protect you as well."

"He said that?"

"Yeah." I smile. Everyday Finn does something new that makes me like him even more. He is a good kid. "I think he's relieved Kurt's found another friend that has equal interest in those fashion magazines but who also likes shooting zombies."

This time he actually smiled, I knew this would cheer him up. What boyfriend didn't want to be protected by the entirety of his boyfriend's family?

"I'll have to thank him."

"He'll appreciate that."

"I appreciate this. It means a lot."

"Well it means a lot to me that you did the right thing tonight and weren't interested in saving face. You're shaken up and upset but you're unharmed, and so is Kurt. You carry on protecting my son and for as long as you do I'll make sure I do right by you as well."

And I knew, that I had indeed done right by him. I knew how much my number meant to him, I could see it in the way he nearly suffocated Kurt with how hard he hugged him as he got through the door, and how he squeezed his eyes shut and how he shyly offered his hand to me when he left our house.

I hoped he would never, ever have to use it but as much as I hoped this I hoped even more that if he did need to, he would.