"I feel stupid for reacting like that" Kurt said sniffing loudly and wiping his arm across his nose. Carole knew he must be upset to not even ask for a tissue.

"You shouldn't" she reassured him.

"I just...I didn't think it would upset me so much. Having to talk about it...you know".

"Of course".

"But I mean, what happened to me, it's nowhere near as bad as what happened to Blaine...I shouldn't..."

"Hey, don't think like that" Carole had to make Kurt understand. "What happened to Blaine is awful, just awful, but that doesn't mean what you went through is any less traumatic, you could have died Kurt". Way to go Carole she thought to herself, remind him of that part.

"I know, it's just I feel guilty" Kurt admitted looking at her with those breathtaking pale eyes of his.

"Oh Kurt honey, that's the last thing Blaine would want, you know that right?" Kurt nodded his head a little reluctantly. "Like I said, you boys have both been through a horrific experience and you're both going to need a lot of time and help to get through it. But it's okay to cry Kurt, it's good to let it out. You can't keep all these feelings bottled up inside or they'll eat you alive".

"That's what Blaine's doing isn't it?" Carole nodded sadly.

"Yeah it looks like it, I think he's trying so hard not to break down that when he does it's going to be even worse". Carole wasn't sure if she should be sharing these thoughts with Kurt, but they all needed to be more open about how they were feeling, it was the only way any of them were going to get through this.

"I wish I could find a way to help him" Kurt sounded angry and Carole could see the tension in his jaw.

"You are helping him Kurt, I can see how different he is with you. We just need to give him time and be ready to help when he needs it. I talked to your father earlier and we think it would be good for you to see someone, a therapist, and hopefully we can persuade Blaine's parents to do the same for him".

Kurt made a scoffing noise.

"I can't see his parents doing anything that isn't their idea".

Reluctantly Carole had to agree, she had kept her own feelings about the Andersons from Kurt, not wanting to fuel his fire on the subject, but so far they weren't coming across very well at all. Carole couldn't believe how detached Natalie seemed from everything, she couldn't imagine how Blaine must feel about how is mom was acting towards him. She had a feeling that if Blaine was able to see a therapist he would have a hell of a lot to talk through.

Carole wasn't able to hide her sigh. "Well we'll just have to be very persuasive" she said gaining a small smile from Kurt.

"Can we go back inside?" Kurt asked her after a minute of silence." I want to be there when Blaine comes out of the room".

"I think that's a very good idea" Carole said standing and reaching down to help Kurt up. He struggled a little bit and she saw him wincing in pain as he put weight on his bad leg. "Let's get you inside and you can take some more of your painkillers".

Kurt opened his mouth as though he was going to object but Carole shook her head at him.

"No Kurt, you're going to take them, I'm not letting you get away with that one".

He looked startled and she got the feeling he wasn't used to not getting his own way, but then he smiled a little and she hoped it was because he liked the idea of being mothered for a change.

She led him back inside and after making sure he was settled and that he'd taken his medication she excused herself to go to the ladies room.

Once she was done she left the rest room quickly, not wanting to leave Kurt alone for too long. Heading down the corridor she was startled to see Natalie Anderson rushing the other way in what seemed like a replay from yesterday.

This time Carole wasn't willing to hold back, she stormed after the weeping woman and caught up with just as she left the building.

"What the hell are you doing?" even she was suprised at the venom in her voice. Natalie spun around, eyes wide with fear.

"Are you running out on him again?" Carole almost spat the words out.

"You don't understand" the weeping woman tried to say.

"You're damn right I don't understand" Carole had the other woman pretty much backed up against the wall now. " I don't understand how a mother can keep running away from her son when he needs her the most. Why don't you try explaining it to me".

"I can't sit in there and listen to those awful things" Natalie sounded so pathetic, but instead of feeling sympathy for her it just made Carole angrier.

"Oh how awful for you" Natalie winced at the sarcasm. "But you know what, however awful it is for you to hear it, Blaine fucking lived it". Carole wasn't normally one to swear like that but she also didn't lose her temper like this very often either. This woman grated on every single one of her nerves.

"Your son is in there doing probably one of the hardest things he'll ever have to do in his life and you're out here feeling sorry for yourself".

"I know, I know I'm sorry. It's just he's my baby you know, I don't know if I can listen to what those men did to him".

"Whether you want to hear it or not, it happened. There's no use burying your head in the sand now" Carole hissed at her. "How can you help Blaine get past this if you won't even acknowledge what happened? Do you know how long it took for him to tell us that this even happened?"

Natalie shook her head, her face anguished but Carole still refused to feel any sympathy for the woman.

"Too long". Carole took a breath then, trying to calm down for her own sake. "He acts very brave but I've seen how scared he is. He needs you, and you need to be stronger".

"I don't know if I can be" Natalie admitted as she hung her head in shame.

"Then fake it" Carole replied, "I've seen how good an act Blaine can put on, I'm guessing at least part of that he learned from you".

"But what if I just make things worse?" Natalie was looking to her for all the answers now and Carole just felt like strangling her. She'd never met someone so weak willed in her life.

"Worse than running out on him twice? How do you think that made him feel? He was so scared of telling people, of them rejecting him because of it and what you just did made it seem like that's exactly what you're doing".

Natalie raised her hand to her mouth in horror as realisation finally dawned.

"Oh god what have I done?" she wept.

Carole stepped back from her to give her space.

"Look I realise this is very upsetting for you, I get that. But you're his mom, he needs you".

"I'm not used to him needing me" the other woman admitted. "He's always been so self reliant, you know?"

Carole did know, she'd seen it for herself and looking at this weak, pathetic woman in front of her she finally felt like she understood Blaine a little. No wonder he was so good at looking after himself, he had to be.

"Do you love your son Natalie?" Carole asked the question softly and without malice.

"Of course I do" Natalie responded angrily and Carole was pleased to see the fire in her eyes that the question had ignited.

"Then go back in there and show him that".

Carole rumaged around in her bag and passed the other woman a tissue. Natalie took it and wiped the tears from her face.

"You're right, I'm being selfish" Carole could have whooped for joy in that moment.

"Yes you are" Carole wasn't going to pander to this woman, just to make her feel better. "But you can still fix this, go be with Blaine, help him through this".

Natalie gave one last sniff before straightening her shoulders and striding purposefully back into the police station. Carole watched her go. amazed at the transformation. Blaine really had learnt some of his tricks from this woman.

She couldn't decide whether she'd done the right thing or not. Maybe she should have just told her to go, that they didn't need her, that Blaine didn't need her. But she knew that no matter how strained their relationship was every boy needed his mother and Blaine was no exeption. Being rejected by her at this point would probably be more than he could handle. She hoped that Natalie could step up to the plate and offer Blaine at least some support and if Carole's worst fears were realised and Natalie caved then at least Blaine would know she cared enough to try and that had to count for something. Didn't it?