When Kurt, Finn, and Mr. Sheuster made it to the parking lot, Kurt saw that all the other New Direction members had left except Zach. Zach was leaning against the front of Kurt and Finn's car.

"I thought I'd wait in case you wanted someone else to drive."

"Thanks, but I'll drive. I need something else to concentrate on," said Finn. "I'll drive you back to the school to get your car."

"Rachel said that she'd call you later after dinner and she's sorry she left, but Mercedes convinced her to leave you two alone right now. Do you still want me to come over tonight? We can skip tutoring if you want."

"No. Come over. Again, I need something else to concentrate on."

At this point Kurt had already gotten into the back seat and laid down, his eyes open, red, and tearless. Mr. Sheuster warned the boys to say nothing about this at school because if it got out then he might indeed have to suspend Kurt and Finn. Finn got in the driver's side and Zach was about to take the front seat when he glance in the back and saw Kurt. He made a quick decision and got into the back, lifting Kurt's head and resting it on his left thigh. He put his own left arm on Kurt's shoulder and left it there until they reached the school.

The drive was completely silent the whole way from Dalton to McKinley. Zach got out, being gentle with Kurt's head, and told Finn he's meet them back at their house.

Dalton

James' face was swollen, already showing bruising, but the bleeding from his nose had stopped and the cuts on his lip and cheekbone were beginning to scab by the time James left the infirmary. James went straight to Thad's room, which he shared with Trent.

He lightly tapped on the door and Thad answered with slight grin and a stunned expression. "Hi," Thad said trying not to smile.

"Hi," James answered disdainly and jabbed Thad in the groin with every ounce of power he had left. Thad fell backwards into his room. James was glad Trent wasn't there to see what just happened because he would be duty bound to report him. James stepped into the room and shut the door.

"What the fuck!" Thad managed to moan from his fetal position on the floor.

"Don't think you get to get off scot-free from this. I warned you that if you didn't make that video disappear then something bad would happen."

"The only thing you can prove is that I have a copy of it. You can't prove that I filmed it."

"You told me!"

"Hear say. Your dad's a lawyer too, you should know that term," Thad grunted.

"You're the only one with a copy of it uploaded onto your computer. Blaine and I only have discs."

"Kurt has it on his phone."

"Distribution of pornographic material involving a minor… doesn't make you look too good." James knew he had Thad on that one.

"Get out."

James headed for the door. "You might want to ice those." He gestured to Thad's crotch.

"Get out!"

James left, walking back to his room down the hall, grateful that he didn't have a room mate to explain his face to.

Hummel House

Kurt, Finn, and Zach all arrived at the same time. No one said anything when they opened the door. The usual holler through the house of "Mom" or "Dad, I'm home" wasn't heard. All three walked into the living room where Burt was watching the news and Carol was trying to get his attention.

Kurt mindlessly shuffled over to the couch where his father was sitting and laid down, putting his head in his father's lap. "Kurt, what's wrong?" Burt asked immediately putting his arm around his son.

"Finn, your hands! Why are they covered in blood?" Carol screeched. Burt instantly turned and saw his bruising knuckles with dried blood on them.

"Do I have to explain or can I just let you ground me?" Finn asked, sounding a little pissed, but more permission seeking. He didn't know how to explain beating up a Warbler without giving away that it was because Blaine cheated on Kurt that he messed up a guy's face.

"I'd rather you explain."

"I'd rather not. I don't really have one other than I hit something a lot."

"Something?"

"Or someone… but he's not pressing charges and Mr. Sheuster isn't telling Principal Figgins so I won't be suspended."

"I still want to know why you think it's okay to hit another person."

"It's not okay, but I'm sorry, I don't regret it and this guy deserved it. I'm not going to say why."

"You're grounded for two weeks after you come back from New York." Finn nodded his head. "Now go clean up, dinner is almost ready." Finn left the room and did as he was told. "I'm sorry. Hi Zach."

"Hello Mrs. Hummel. Hi Burt." Zach greeted them both tentatively.

"Call me Carol, dear. You like chicken pot pie right?"

"Yes ma'am," he said with a smile. Carol smiled back and left the room for the kitchen.

"Zach, do you know what's wrong with Kurt?" Burt asked.

"Um." Zach looked down at Kurt, not knowing what to say or how much he was allowed to give away. "We were at Dalton today for rehearsal."

"Oh." That was enough. It was all Burt needed to hear to think that Kurt was acting this way because he saw Blaine.

Kurt didn't join his family and Zach for dinner. Instead he went up to the bathroom and drew himself a hot bubble bath. He still hadn't spoken or made a noise since sobbing in the Dalton Bathroom with Finn.

By the time dinner was finished and desert was about to be served, Zach had excused himself saying that he wanted to check on Kurt. Kurt was still laying unmoving in the tub. The water was no longer hot and he didn't move. Zach tapped on the bathroom door and Kurt didn't answer him. He tapped again and still no answer. He knocked hard a third time and when Kurt still didn't answer he opened the door.

Kurt looked over to the ajar door to see Zach standing in the doorway. "Jesus, you were beginning to scare me," Zach said, touching is chest. "Next time answer a person when they came to check on you in a bathroom."

"Why are you checking on me?" Kurt asked his voice sounding raspy.

"Just wanted to make sure you didn't drown yourself." Zach stepped fully into the bathroom, shut the door, and grabbed a large looking towel. He could see that Kurt's face had gained a little bit of it's color back. He also notice that almost all of the bubbles were gone so he looked away. Zach walked over to the claw-foot tub and held the towel out lengthwise. "Come on," he said. Kurt looked at him like he was both sad and shy. "I won't look," Zach insisted with his eyes wide and a smile tugging at his lips.

Kurt chewed on his bottom lip and finally pulled the drain plug with his toes. He stood up and stepped out of the tub, his skin glistening with bath water. He was standing very close to Zach and Zach noticed there was a different look in his eyes. Kurt licked his lips, staring at Zach's. "I wouldn't mind if you did look," he said as he brought his eyes up to meet the blonde haired boy.

Zach inhaled deeply and wrapped the towel in his hands around Kurt's waist, still keeping his word that he wouldn't look, and trying to be as objective as possible. His head was brought back up by the sudden touch of Kurt's hand against his face. Kurt blinked a bunch of times and slowly started to lean his head down. When Kurt had gotten to be a few inches from Zach's face, Zach shied away and stepped back.

Kurt looked hurt, his face returned to it's previous crushed expression. "You're hurting and want to feel close to someone. I'm sorry. Kissing me won't make what happened today better."

Kurt leaned back against the tub and put his face in his hands. Zach moved back over to Kurt and leaned on the tub next to him. He put his arm around Kurt's shoulders and stayed that way for a few minutes before suggesting he help Kurt to his room and get into bed.

Zach had never been in Kurt's room before so Kurt steered the way. Zach watched Kurt pick out a pair of boxers, sweats that said Dalton on them, and a white t-shirt that looked too big. "I never took you for a sweatpants person."

"I'm not," Kurt answered. It was then that Zach realized that Kurt wasn't wearing his own clothes. Those were Blaine's clothes.

"Do you want to watch a movie? Finn told me that he didn't feel like studying anymore. I remember him telling me about his collection of scary movies. Wanna watch one?"

"You're annoying."

Zach licked his lips and laughed. "On your way back to normal, I see."

"You're so god damn perfect. Always the right things to say, always the right things to do."

"I'm pretty sure spying on you getting a blow job was NOT the perfect thing to do, but we don't have to get into that again."

"No, you did exactly as I asked after that whole thing blew up in my face. You knew when to back off when we started talking again. You knew to not say anything to me today in the car on the way home. You haven't once said: things are going to be all right. You didn't let me kiss you-"

"I should point out that I didn't want you to kiss me."

"-and now you come to me like I shouldn't be alone and suggest a scary movie so I don't have to look at two idiots falling in love with each other. Why are you doing this?"

"Because you're my friend and your needs are greater than mine. Right now I don't have any, so your needs really are much greater than mine." Kurt remained silent and crawled into bed. He moved all the way over to one side and looked at Zach.

"You pick the movie. I promise not to come onto you again if you watch it with me in my room."

Zach chuckled. "I wouldn't hate you if you did, but I'd remind you that it would be misguided and you'd only regret it later."

Zach left and returned with a handful of movies all labeled Saw. He popped in the first one and kept looking over at Kurt who didn't flinch at all during the movie. The second one went in the DVD player and Carol had brought up a glass of water for both boys and some toast for Kurt. Kurt ate the toast at Zach's prodding and by the end of the second movie, was almost ten o'clock and Kurt had fallen asleep. Zach slipped himself out of the bed and covered Kurt up, tucking him in like he was a child.

He turned all of Kurt's electronics off and exited the room. He ran into Burt and Carol downstairs when he told them he was leaving. It was abnormal for either of them to be up at this time, but Zach didn't know that. Carol said good night and went upstairs. Burt said he wanted to walk Zach out to his car.

They got outside and Burt looked at Zach like he had a lot he wanted to say, but didn't know which one to ask first. He stood straight up with his hands in his pockets.

"Are straight or gay?" His voice wasn't demanding, it was more like he needed to know the answer to that question before choosing what to ask next.

"I'm not gay," Zach answered. He was beginning to get tired of saying that, but figured that when you hang around with other gay guys and their friends and family, the question was a common one.

"So you going into the bathroom while my son was naked wasn't your way of taking advantage of a vulnerable boy?"

"No sir." Zach meant it. "I was just trying to help. I originally went in because he wasn't answering and I got worried." He left out the part about Kurt coming onto him and trying to kiss him.

"You're good to him. Thanks. Really. Sometimes I just don't know what to say. His heart is broken and I like Blaine, so I don't know what to say to Kurt. I also don't know what happened so that makes it difficult."

"Believe me, you probably don't want to know. I care about Kurt. He's the most interesting person I've ever met and I know what he's going through, so I just want to be there for him."

"You're all right, kid." Burt clapped Zach on the shoulder. "You're welcome here anytime."

"Thanks Burt."

"Now get outta here before your parents worry."

Zach got in his car and waved at Burt before glancing up at Kurt's bedroom window and then driving off.

Dalton

David, Wes, and Nick forced it on Blaine that they were spending the night with him in his room because they didn't trust him being alone. Blaine finally agreed and ignored that at least one of them followed him wherever he went. Nick stood outside the shower while Blaine was in the bathroom down the hall from his room. All three of them went to dinner with him, David stayed in the room with Blaine while the others got ready for bed in their rooms.

"How did Kurt find out?" David asked.

"I don't know," Blaine answered curling inward at the sound of Kurt's name.

"Want to talk about it?"

"No."

David waited a few minutes, looking at Blaine as his face was buried in his notebook, studying for tomorrow morning's midterm exam. "He's going to forgive you." Blaine looked up.

"No he's not."

"Then you don't know Kurt."

"I know him better than you do."

"You fucked up. Royally. I don't dispute that. But does he know all the details? He was gone a few minutes before he came storming back in. There is no way you can look me in the eye, tell me that he would not consider forgiving you if he knew the whole story."

"How am I going to get the chance to explain it?" Blaine's voice was raising. He was getting angry and didn't want to be having this conversation.

"Give him a day or two and call him, text him, kidnap him… something, anything. He'll listen if you talk."

"I think you're wrong, but maybe I'll try calling him in a couple days." He thought for a second. "What if he doesn't pick up. Chances of that happening are 100%.

"Then explain as much as you can in the voicemail. Put the information out there. See what happens."

"You know I hate you guys for not leaving me alone."

"Why? So we'd leave you to mope and cry and think about jumping out the window? Fat chance. If you want to mope and cry that's fine. You can do it in front of us."

"I don't feel like crying."

"Why? We couldn't call you too much of a sissy if you do."

"I just don't feel like crying. I'd cried a lot since Saturday and I don't think I have any tears left."

"Biologically that isn't possible. It's a glandular thing."

"Shut up David."

David smiled, happy that he got his friend to think about something else.