Kurt was running again. He pretty much abandoned everything he owned having dropped his bag in his attempt to get away from Finn who he had heard calling his name. The only thing he had now was Blaine's green scarf to keep him in some sort of comfort and warmth which he was finding hard to hold onto due to the horrible weather. The wind and the snow was making it difficult to see as well.

He'd have to start again, but right now he didn't worry about that, all he worried about was getting as far away from that place as possible. He was being chased by Finn who was calling his name. “KURT!!”

Kurt panted and his heart sped even faster as he ran feeling overwhelmed and nauseated.

He couldn't be found. “Kurt please! STOP.”  Finn was still close by. Hearing the boy's voice caused tears to fall.

He couldn't get caught under any circumstance.  Kurt wasn't going to be humiliated and hurt again, he'd much rather be alone than face his step brother.

When he had torn himself away from observing Rachel on stage, the inevitable happened. Finn found him. He saw him just as he was about to exit. Finn called out his name which caused him to look at the taller boy. He had been in shock for a minute when he saw the disappointed look on Finn's face and the way he moved towards him, like he had seen a ghost himself, frightened him because he'd never seen Finn look like that, and he didn't know what to make of it.

Thankfully though he was faster than Finn a who was falling behind and his voice lingering in the air as it started to fade. He had taken the same route he and Blaine came by earlier, and by pure luck he found $5 on the ground. He stopped briefly so he could pick it up quickly before continuing his journey.

“Kurt….!”

He ran towards the café. Why he had no idea. Most other shops were closed at this hour and he needed to be in a familiar environment to feel safe. For some reason the café appealed to him and he also knew it was slightly because he hoped Blaine would be there, but he didn't want to think that as the full reason

Finn had finally lost track of him. He couldn't hear his name anymore.

He turned around prepared to run again when someone caught his arm but it was Lucy.

“Hey…you look like you're about to faint honey, come inside, I'll get you a coffee on the house,”

When Kurt looked outside before entering the familiar sights of the café he didn't see any signs of anybody chasing him and he wondered if he had dreamed it all. All he could see was children playing in the snow and a couple watching nearby despite how late it was.

“If you were trying to get away, running to this place probably wasn't a smart idea,” Blaine announced and went to Kurt immediately turned around to see the boy in the blazer watching him. Blaine had been sitting at one of the tables worrying about Kurt and wondering where he should even begin to look for him which he had planned on doing once the Warblers went back to their separate ways and blanking out as his friends excitedly chatted next to him with hot chocolates and coffee about how they had tied with the New Directions.

Blaine had glanced up when he heard Lucy say Kurt's name at the counter and at once stood up to greet him. He held out Kurt's bag and Kurt turned around when he heard him address him before, before adding “I believe this is yours?”

Kurt had still not moved or said anything he was just staring at Blaine like a lost soul, and eventually found himself flinging his arms around Blaine's neck and began sobbing.

“Shh, you're okay, you're going to be okay,” Blaine dropped his bag gently on the floor and wrapped his arm around Kurt's back. The boy nuzzled his head in the crook of Blaine's neck, alarmed Blaine rubbed soothing circles in the back of Kurt's shirt which he realised was absolutely soaked. There was no way Blaine was going to let him stay in that.

The boys quieted down as they watched the scene in front of them. Sebastian being the first one to speak. “Oh great tinker bell is back, and here I had the hopes we got rid of him,”

“Sebastian don't be nasty,” The boy with the blonde hair commented as the other boy next to him nodded.

A male Warbler with brown hair and brown eyes walked over to them and looked at Kurt with concern “Hey you alright man?”

“He's had a rough night Thad,” Blaine remembered the way Kurt vomited and now he could feel Kurt shaking in his arms and wondered what on earth had happened to make him so unapproachable and why he had run away.

Blaine held Kurt out at arms lengths so he could take a look at him.

It was almost midnight by that point at 11:00 pm he hadn't expected to see Kurt again, but he was so glad he was standing right in front of him. After he heard what Sebastian did to Kurt, he basically hauled himself at the other boy and fumed all the way to the café at which the others had followed him and asked where he was going. They didn't complain when they saw the cosy little place and the pretty girl behind the counter.

Kurt was white as a sheet, and sweat was pouring of his forehead obviously from having ran. He had snow covered hair, and his clothes were soaked with water as it had begun belting down just minutes ago. The scarf miraculously remained tightly wrapped around his neck.

Tears continued to fall silently down the beautiful boys face.

Blaine asked Thad for a tissue who handed him one from his pocket and Blaine began wiping the tears away before grabbing the boys hand and gently pulling him towards their table as other customers began staring, he was talking to the boys but Kurt was barely paying attention to what he was saying, he felt sick.

Lucy came over with a coffee immediately which was Kurt's same order as before and Blaine quickly talked to her. She came back later handing him something but Kurt felt dizzy.

He barely could contain himself.

Kurt still silent allowed Blaine to pull him gently into the men's bathroom while he was talking to him.

“I'm sorry about Sebastian, he can be a bit of an ass at times. Don't pay any attention to him,. Come on Kurt say something you're scaring me,”

“Where are we?”

“You're in the cafe remember? We had coffee here before, how you got here I couldn't tell you that, but you ran from the venue, which leads to my point, I wish you hadn't left so soon, I could have handled Sebastian for you,”

Kurt didn't answer. He was obviously too overwhelmed to talk, and he was busy playing with Blaine's green scarf so Blaine just gently helped him tug of his scarf first with the promise he'd get it back when Kurt looked distraught and sad as though he'd take it back from him, and then began helping him out of his t-shirt, asking Kurt to lift his arms up, and pulled it over his head, trying not to let his eyes wander over the beautiful pale skin that was underneath, but he couldn't help but stare in horror at the dark purple bruise on Kurt's stomach. He quickly helped Kurt put on a fresh hoodie, which Lucy had found in the spares clothes in the back for him.

Blaine promised he'd pay her back one day but she said not to worry about it.  They rarely needed it as they had so many clothes in the spare pile anyway. She'd explain it to the boss later.

“There we go, feel better?”  Blaine's hand lingered on Kurt's side as he pressed the bottom of the hoodie down.

“This hoodie is distasteful,” Kurt eyes widened realising what he just said as Blaine laughed.

“Sorry I know it's not a Marc Jacobs, but we don't have many other options,”

“Sorry I hadn't meant to sound ungrateful; my t-shirt was a designer that's all,”

“Of course it is, and you'll still have your t-shirt, I'll wash and dry it for you but for now you need to be warm, and wearing that will make you sick, now don't worry, just let me help you,” Blaine hushed him and then helped clean out the snow in his hair.

“I'm sorry I ran away earlier, you sang really good,” Kurt said quietly as Blaine was delicately running his hand through his hair, taking longer than necessary to clean the snow of.

Kurt honestly didn't mind. He enjoyed the touch.

“It's just…I don't want you to feel like you have to take care of me, I've been independent for so long now, I know how to handle this kind of thing,”

“That doesn't make it okay that you should do it alone Kurt, also I'm glad you like the performance,” Blaine pointed out as he dried Kurt's damp hair with a towel Lucy had also provided them with before entering the bathroom.

Kurt was avoiding looking at Blaine as h self-consciously tugged his hoodie down and attempted to feel comfortable in it by straightening it out neatly.

“No I suppose not,” Kurt admitted as Blaine finished his hair and took a good look at Kurt.

“Let's just clean up your face, and then you'll look gorgeous,”

Kurt blushed as he said the words and looked at himself in the mirror. Blaine grabbed a paper towel and positioned it under cold/warm water applying it gently to Kurt's face.

“Do you mind?” Blaine asked as he put the wet material on his face and Kurt shook his head in confirmation. Blaine smiled as he moved it down his cheeks.

“You have beautiful skin Kurt,” Kurt looked doubtful and Blaine moved his hand up to Kurt's forehead to wipe of the dirt/water/snow combination there before nodding as his eyes looked to Kurt “You're in denial if you don't agree,”

“I…”

“Shh,” Blaine continued his job. “You don't have to say anything, I'm sorry If I'm making you uncomfortable,”

Wes came and found them then “Everything alright in here? We all started to get worried,”

Blaine broke eye contact with Kurt for a moment to look at Wes without stopping his cleaning procedure. He was cupping Kurt's face with one hand and using the other to clean his skin.

“Hey Wes, I'm going to take Kurt back to my hotel, is that okay?” Blaine didn't give Kurt the opportunity to decline his offer as he turned to his friend.

Wes looked confused as he glanced at Kurt “If you think it's really necessary, Blaine…we all understand you want to help this boy but isn't it now up to his family to take over and see to his needs?”

“I don't have a family,” Kurt was feeling annoyed at being treated like a 5 year old. “And I don't need your help Blaine, I already told you that,” The fire was back in his eyes again and with that Kurt grabbed his stuff and stormed out the bathroom.

“Kurt!” Blaine gave Wes an intense stare as he hurried after the boy “Kurt, wait,”

“I appreciate what you did for me Blaine, but I'm not an invalid!”

Blaine managed to reach Kurt and grabbed his wrist “Will you just stop!” He shouted.

Blaine never shouted. That alone stopped Kurt's movements.

He didn't dare look at Blaine, so Blaine moved around so he would face Kurt.

They were back where the tables and chairs were now, and the Warblers were watching them from their seating area. Wes came from behind  “I'm sorry Kurt, I didn't mean to sound rude back there,”

“I never said you were an invalid, nor will I treat you like one but Kurt…you're a human, and you deserve to live like a human, not in the park, not in the middle of a storm, please understand I just want you safe,”

Kurt sighed heavily “I won't be able to pay you back though, and I don't want to take you for granted,”

Blaine was trying to come up with a valuable point when Wes stepped closer and observed Kurt.

“Can you sing?” Wes asked and Kurt hesitated as he answered “…Yes,”

Blaine looked to Wes as though wondering where he was going with this.

“How about you audition for the Warblers, and we'll see about your payment of staying in the hotel for a couple of days by joining the competition, we could do with another voice, the bigger the sound, the better our chances,”

“I'm not sure if that's such a good idea…and isn't that just for your school?” Kurt gulped thinking of Finn and how the New Directions would be competing against them, but how could he explain that to these guys, when he basically said he had no family?

They had been his family, once upon a time.

Sebastian sighed heavily as he grimly answered “Technically, anyone can join The Warblers, so long as you're representing the school in the blazer, and we have enough blazers to share with newbies,”

Blaine was beaming at the idea “I think that's a fantastic idea Wes! Kurt you were saying how much you missed singing…please just try out, we have a spare Blazer in the car and if you still don't want to do it after auditions, we'll figure something else out,”

“Go on Kurt!” One of the boys shouted from the table. He turned to look at eager and interested faces.

It would be nice to feel part of a group again…

“I suppose I can try out,” Kurt bit his lip and Wes grinned. Blaine hugged him excitedly and the other boys cheered.

“So you'll come with us?” Blaine etched patiently staring at Kurt and holding his hand. Kurt squeezed his hand a little “Okay,” A smile widened on Blaine's face, and that alone was worth it.

“I hate to hurry you all out with this horrible weather, but were going to be closing in about 5 minutes,” Lucy told regretfully, her manager had gone home way before when the boys were at the competition which is why they had no problems with Kurt changing in the bathroom.

She held out the phone to them “I can call a cab for all of you to get back to wherever your heading if you'd like,”

“Thanks Lucy, and we'll pay for the cost, also can I grab some food to go?” Blaine remembered Kurt had basically puked up his subs before and he must be feeling hungry by then.

“Of course, but it'll have to be quick, and I'll call the cabs while you're ordering,”

Wes looked to the other boys. There were 13 Warblers in total. Only Jeff and Nick had managed to get themselves back to the hotel.

“Um…maybe it's better if you call a minivan…our friends are probably asleep by now,” Wes apologised to Lucy who laughed and agreed. “Sure thing handsome, so long as I get your number in return, that can make up for the cost,” Lucy winked at Wes who smiled “I don't see a problem with that,”

The boys behind them catcalled and Blaine laughed at Wes's expression of murder.

Blaine had an arm around Kurt who was chuckling at the scene as well. Blaine was hugging Kurt close to his side as they went to the counter.

“Now what do you want?” Blaine whispered as he stared at the food in the glass.

You

“Pardon?” Blaine cocked his head to the side.

Shit. He said that aloud.

“You to get something for yourself,” Kurt deadpanned.

“Come on Kurt, not this again,”

“Alright….um I really miss cheesecake, but I should get something healthy,” Kurt was eyeing a specific cheesecake which made his stomach grumble loudly. Blaine would happily buy Kurt 5 cheesecakes if he would look at him like he did just then when he smiled and said “Cheesecake it is, lucky for you New York Cheesecake is on the menu,”

Kurt's mouth watered as Blaine ordered a whole cheesecake, 5 subs, 10 cookies, 2 mochas on the go, and 10 sandwiches,”

“You want to buy the whole shop while you're on it?” Lucy laughed as she reread out the order.

$16 for the cookies

$10 for the mochas

$22.50 for the subs

$40.00 for the sandwiches

$8.50 for the cheesecake

Kurt smacked his arm in annoyance but Blaine didn't look irritated at all as he shrugged and smiled at Lucy when handing a total $97.00

“What I got to feed those idiots over there too you know,” Blaine rolled his eyes as he looked back at the others, who were playing cards while they waited.

Where the pack of cards came from Blaine wouldn't be able to answer.

Jeff called out victory, and the other boys started laughing as Sebastian became a sore loser.

There was no one else in the café at that point and Blaine could see why. The snow was getting deeper and he was glad Kurt was coming back with them. Kurt still held on to his backpack. While Blaine was ordering he noticed Kurt had looked into his pocket to ensure something was still there, and Blaine figured it to be the photo that had been underneath the pillow in Hyde Park on the bench he slept in.

5 minutes later, Blaine grabbed the bag of food, and asked if Wes would help him since the other boys would most likely eat the food before getting anywhere which was not the whole point of buying food in advance.

Blaine protectively held onto the sandwiches, the cookies and the Cheesecake for Kurt whilst Wes carried the rest. Wes had given Lucy his number by the time the cab arrived. “Thanks Lucy for everything,” Blaine had given her an extra tip of $20 since she gave Kurt something to wear and offered a few things on the house.

“Thank you for the company boys! Enjoy your time in New York!”

“We most certainly will!”                      

“Come watch us perform!”

“Thanks beautiful!”

“Thanks for the cab!”

“WE WILL BE BACK,”

“Thank you for the hoodie,” Kurt said politely as he joined the Warblers on their way out. He held out $5 which surprised Blaine but Lucy shook her head “Keep it, and buy yourself a new pair of shoes,”

Kurt laughed but grimaced “A $5 pair of shoes? That's just being cheap,”
Blaine rolled his eyes, “Kurt has high taste in fashion,and ”He chuckled as Lucy nodded“ I bet,”

He would have loved to hold Kurt's hand as they walked out but he was busy holding the food.

“Bye boys, thanks for the tip Blaine, nice meeting you and Kurt, and those idiots too,”

“We will be back, hope you get home safely,” Blaine looked at her worried as it was midnight.

“Oh don't worry, my best friend is waiting for me outside,” They looked outside and it was the security guard waiting by the curb in a car.

“Oh hey max!” Blaine waved to the tall man in the window and Kurt looked at Blaine surprised he knew his name.

Max beamed looking pleased to see them “Blaine Warbler!! I see you found your friend,”

“Hi,” Kurt said shyly and handed his hand out to shake when Max offered his hand.

Max looked lost “Didn't you say you had a family dinner or something?”

“It got cancelled,” Kurt lied as Blaine looked at him and the n to Max.

“Well congratulations on making it to the finals brother, you want me to give you boys a lift I'm afraid I can only take two…” He looked to the other Warblers who waved at Max while they were getting in the minivan that was parked in front of Max.

“Nah, we're okay, thanks for the offer, I didn't know you were friends of Lucy,”

“She makes the best coffee in New York, I wouldn't go anywhere else,” He said proudly as Lucy came out then after closing the shop. She smiled politely at the boys “Well this is my ride,”

Blaine and Kurt were both nodding in agreement as Lucy got in the passenger seat and they bid their final goodbyes.

“Small world,” Blaine commented as Kurt agreed thinking of how Finn had run after him before and the anxious look on the taller boy's face.

It probably wouldn't have hurt to stay for a few minutes, but it was too late now anyway.

It was a quiet ride home. Kurt had found himself comfortable in the minivan the boys had hired to take them back to their destinations, each at different places. They had 4 stops overall, and Blaine and Kurt's alongside Jeff and Nick were the last. Blaine had found himself very content with having Kurt falling asleep on his shoulder.

“You want me to move him of you?” Jeff whispered who was sitting next to Kurt on his left as Blaine shook his head immediately “Let him sleep,”

An arm was clenching onto Blaine's blazer and Blaine couldn't help but smile at the peaceful look on Kurt's face. Kurt always looked exhausted and ill and this was the first time Blaine thought Kurt looked like well Kurt…

Kurt awoke with movement in his hair.

It was Blaine.

Blaine was gently stroking his hair.

“Kurt?” That voice was also Blaine's.

“Kurt honey time to get up,”

“Maybe we should carry him in? The bus driver needs to get home too,”

“I'm alright boys, just make sure your friend gets inside safely, take your time,”

Kurt didn't mind being carried, he was too exhausted to even move right now, so he pretended not to have heard.

“Come out the other side Blaine and I'll lift him up…”

“No no, I can do it, just take the bags and put them in my room if that's okay, don't eat anything,”

“Believe it or not Blaine but I don't actually want to eat 24/7 you know,”

“Luckily you didn't ask me then,” There was another voice then.

“I don't care who takes it, just don't eat the cheesecake, that's Kurt's,”

“We're not going to eat anything Blaine… the faith you have in us astounds me,”

“But here's a cookie for you man, thanks for dropping us all of,”

“Well...that's very nice of you, but it is my job, I won't say no to a cookie, the bag looked like it came from The Lima Bean…”

“Yeah it did, we were just there, we didn't know they had The Lima Bean in NewYork, were from Westerville and it's the number one hang out,”

“You can't go wrong with The Lima Bean, I'm surprised they have anything in Westerville,”

“You're telling us…”

He soon felt arms lifting him up gently and he felt comfortable for the first time in a long time. He nuzzled his neck against whoever it was chest.

The movement stilled for a moment before his saviour continued to walk.

He found himself being placed on a bed. Blankets were being pulled up to his chest. He finally opened his eyes as Blaine was finishing tucking him in “Hey there sleepyhead,”

Kurt blinked and yawned “What time is it?”

“1:30 in the morning,” Kurt noticed Blaine hadn't changed from his uniform yet. He hadn't had the time yet as he had to call Cooper back home what was going on and his mother.

Kurt nodded sleepily as Blaine smiled at him fluffing up his pillows “You feel comfy?”

“Never better,” Kurt yawned and Blaine chuckled. “We booked you in, so you have your own key okay, there were no troubles because we had an extra bedroom which was not being used and all the Warblers are chipping in $10 for you to stay, so it's not costing us a fortune,”

Kurt's eyelids were fighting to keep open and Blaine was tempted to lean over and kiss him on the forehead like a child. He looked adorable.

“Sweet dreams Kurt, have a good night sleep,”

“You too,” Kurt yawned again closing his eyes finally and this time he really did sleep.

Blaine stared at him for a bit.

He was a beautiful lost soul. How he ended up on his own, Blaine didn't know, but he vowed from then on in to look after Kurt.

At that he turned off the lights and went to his own room promising himself he'd be back in the morning.