True to his word, Kurt came back later that day and planted himself firmly in a chair by Blaine's bedside, staying for the entire duration of visiting hours and refusing to leave for any reason that wasn't absolutely necessary. He had made it clear to everyone who would listen that he would just love to see them try to stop him. To his surprise, although he expected to have to fight, nobody challenged him.

So for four days he sat next to Blaine, holding his hand and singing to him softly, occasionally stroking his boyfriend's curls as he silently pleaded with him to wake up. He didn't go to school. Nobody forced him to. Everybody seemed to understand that he needed to be with Blaine right now, and that nothing or no one was going to deter him from that.

On the fifth day, Kurt arrived in the morning right as visiting hours were starting, as he always did. He took the elevator to the fourth floor and made his way to Blaine's room, as he always did. He took the chair from its corner where the night nurse always put it and placed it as close to Blaine's bed as it could possibly go. As he always did.

It wasn't until he had sat down and taken Blaine's hand in his own that he noticed something was a bit off. Kurt couldn't quite put his finger on it until he noticed Blaine's eyes. They were still closed, as they had been since that horrible night, but right now they seemed to be moving. Kurt was familiar with that movement under Blaine's eyelids, the movement that always signaled thast he was about to wake up.

Wake up. Oh, God! was he...?

He was. Blaine's eyelids opened ever-so-slowly, as though they were weighed down. Kurt held his breath in anticipation as they slowly opened all the way, blinking fast and taking in his dim surroundings.

"Blaine?" Kurt said softly, not wanting to scare his boyfriend before he'd had a chance to process where he was. His hand was still holding on to Blaine's, and he gently ran his thumb across it as he watched Blaine's face.

Blaine's eyes rested on Kurt beside him, a look of instant recognition flashing across his wan face. "K-kurt?" he whispered. "Is that you?"

"Blaine! Oh, God, Blaine, baby, yes, it's me!" Kurt replied, still in a soft tone so as not to overwhelm him, bringing Blaine's hand up to his lips and kissing it as he held it in both hands.

Blaine tried to move his other hand up to Kurt's face. He didn't quite have the strength, and it flopped uselessly back down to his side. His eyes met Kurt's, filling with tears. "Kurt."

Kurt was up from his chair in a second and gently wrapping his arms around Blaine as best he could, being mindful of the plethora of tubes that were still attached to him. He brought his lips to Blaine's and kissed him tenderly before looking into his dark hazel eyes.

"I've missed you, Blaine," he said, tears falling freely from his own eyes. "I thought I was going to lose you that night, and I was so scared."

Blaine's face suddenly clouded over in a look of panic.

"Sebastian...he didn't...did he...are you alright?" he managed to breathe out.

Kurt caressed his cheek softly with one hand, the other hand stroking Blaine's hair as he whispered reassurances. "Oh, yes, baby, I'm fine. I'm just fine. He ran away, he's in juvie. I'm OK. You're going to be OK." He looked deep into Blaine's eyes as he continued to stroke his cheek lovingly. "You...you saved me."

Blaine managed to reach one hand up to swipe his thumb across Kurt's cheek, wiping away some of the tears that had fallen there.

"I had to."

Kurt cried harder at Blaine's words. "I should have been me."

Blaine furrowed his eyebrows and looked straight into Kurt's eyes. "NO," he said as forcefully as he could in his condition. "I would have never let that happen, do you hear me?"

Kurt gave Blaine's cheek one last, loving caress before leaning down and kissing him again. "I love you."

"I love you, too. So much." Blaine sank back against his pillow, wincing a little. "Ugh, it hurts."

Kurt suddenly remembered that they were in a hospital, that his boyfriend was still recovering from major surgery, and that he was probably in a lot of pain right now. "Oh, God, Blaine, I'm sorry. I should have called the doctor!" He planted a small kiss on the top of Blaine's head as he made to leave the room. "I'm going to track someone down. I'll be right back. Hang tight for me, baby, OK?"

Blaine nodded. Kurt quickly ran out into the hall and flagged down the nearest nurse, who summoned Blaine's doctor. Kurt followed them back into Blaine's room and stood in the corner as they looked him over, smiling inwardly. Blaine was really going to be alright.

*********************************************

"Kurt?"

Kurt sat up straighter in his chair, where he had almost dozed off. It had been two days since Blaine had woken up, and Blaine had been moved into a regular room outside of intensive care by now. Kurt had stayed by his side even more than before, refusing to leave the room at all unless the Andersons were visiting Blaine. Then he just waited out in the hall until they left.

Blaine had fallen asleep about an hour ago, and Kurt had diligently stayed in his chair beside him, stroking his hand and watching him sleep. Making sure he was breathing, as he tended to do now automatically.

"Kurt!" Blaine sounded panicked as his eyes shot open, staring around the room wildly.

"Blaine, sweetie, I'm right here. What is it, honey? Do you need something? Tell me, I'll go get it. Do you need the nurse?"

Blaine relaxed and shook his head, still shaking the last remnants of sleep from his brain. "No, no, nothing like that. I just...oh, God, Kurt, I dreamed that Sebastian came after you and wanted to hurt you again, and I couldn't get to you, and...and..." his voice trailed off as his breath hitched in his throat.

Kurt got up at once and threw his arms around Blaine, holding him tight as Blaine buried his face in his shoulder. "I'm right here, Blaine. I'm fine. Nobody is going to hurt me, or you. Ok?"

Blaine brought his arms around Kurt and hugged him back. "Never. Not as long as I'm around, you got it?"

"I know, honey."

Blaine hugged Kurt to him tighter. "I just can't stop thinking about could have happened if I hadn't been there. He was really aiming hard for you, Kurt, and he slowed down right as I stepped in front of you, I could see it. If I...If i hadn't...he could have...you would have been...Oh, God." Blaine's grip on Kurt became tighter still, as did Kurt's on him.

They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other, both of them crying softly. They both knew exactly what could have happened that night, and they were both thanking their lucky stars that it hadn't.

Blaine eventually pulled away gently, bringing his hands up to Kurt's face to cup it tenderly as he looked him in the eyes. "Lay with me?"

Kurt nodded, smiling through his tears as he laughed a little. "Of course. Of course I will. Here, move over a little."

Blaine obliged, scooting over as far as he could to make room for Kurt, who gingerly slid in beside him. Blaine held his arms out and Kurt eagerly slid into them, resting his head against Blaine's chest and wrapping his arms around him as well. They lay there in silence, just listening to each other breathing peacefully. Kurt could feel Blaine's heart beating in his chest and sighed contentedly. This was where he wanted to be forever.

Well, not here in the hospital with his boyfriend recovering from a stab wound, obviously. But in Blaine's arms? Yes. Most definitely.

They fell asleep like that, each feeling safe in the other's arms.