"Oh they're already cleaning up." Blaine's voice behind him almost caused Kurt to drop the plate he was holding. "It doesn't matter I'll..."

"You'll nothing, Blaine," Burt interrupted him. "Carole, apparently Blaine's favorite breakfast is blueberry pancakes and we were wondering if you might be nice enough to rustle us up a few."

Kurt looked at Blaine, trying to read what was going on but all he could see was a faint tinge of embarrassment.

"But really if it's too much trouble I can..." Blaine started to protest.

Kurt saw the look his dad shot Carole and from the way she quickly interrupted Blaine, he knew she had as well.

"Nonsense. It's no trouble at all. In fact, why don't you two boys go wait in the den while I make them? Leave those dishes, Kurt. Your father can finish them for you."

Kurt put the plate he was holding on the drainer and dried his hand on a hand towel.

"Are you sure?" he asked, just to be polite.

"Of course. I'll yell when they're ready." Carole shooed them out of the kitchen with a smile.

Before leaving the kitchen to follow Blaine into the den, Kurt made sure one thing was clear.

"Just enough for Blaine though, Carole. Dad's had more than enough carbs this morning." Carole chuckled at the offended look on her husband's face and Kurt left them to it.

Kurt actually found he was a little nervous about how to approach Blaine- he wasn't sure what to say and didn't want to risk upsetting him again. It turned out he didn't need to worry as Blaine spoke as soon as he entered the room.

"I'm so sorry Kurt, I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm sorry I keep hurting you." Blaine's voice was distraught and Kurt didn't even have to think about it as he crossed the room quickly and wrapped his arms around the slightly smaller teenager.

"Oh Blaine, it's okay. You don't have to apologize. I'm okay. It's you I'm worried about."

"I know and I'm sorry for that too." Blaine wasn't resisting Kurt's embrace, but he wasn't returning it either and Kurt wasn't sure what to do.

In the end he decided to pull away from him slightly, just so he could look him in the eye as he spoke to him.

"Blaine, please stop apologizing. Come on, sit down . I think we need to talk a little bit."

Blaine sighed wearily.

"What's the matter?" Kurt asked as they sat side by side on the sofa.

"I'm getting tired of talking," Blaine said looking down at his hands.

"Okay then - just listen," Kurt said in a tone that wouldn't take any arguments.

Blaine looked at him in surprise, but Kurt just raised his eyebrow at him.

"I love you Blaine," Kurt began, taking Blaine's hand in his and rubbing the back of it gently with his thumb. "I'm sorry if I was pushing earlier but I'm worried about you."

"I don't want you to be," Blaine protested.

"I know you don't, but you don't get a choice. The only way I'm going to stop worrying is if I see that you're taking care of yourself and at the minute I'm not."

"I'm trying," Blaine's voice was strained.

"I know and I know it's hard. That's why you need to let us help you. Please, Blaine, I love you so much and I couldn't bear it if I lost you, any part of you." Kurt was crying now, unable to keep what he was feeling inside. He needed Blaine to know how important he was to him and that seeing him slowly falling apart was killing him.

Blaine brought his hand up to wipe the tears from his face, but Kurt could see that his own eyes were filling up too.

"Don't cry Kurt, please. You're breaking my heart," Blaine said as the tears spilled over.

"Then you know how I feel when I look at you," Kurt choked out and before he could react Blaine had thrown his arms around him and was sobbing into his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry Kurt. I'll try, I promise, just please don't give up on me." Kurt could just about hear what Blaine was saying. He brought his arms up and wrapped them around the love of his life.

"I will never give up on you Blaine, never."

The two of them stayed like that for awhile, and even after the tears dried they continued to cling to each other as though their lives depended on it.

Neither of them were aware of the fact that Carole and Burt both entered the room to check on them before leaving them alone. They were too lost in each other to care.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carole walked back into the kitchen and sighed.

"I see what you mean," she said to Burt. "I didn't have the heart to interrupt them either".

"Told you so," Burt responded. "Just put those in the microwave when he's ready. I want to make sure he eats at least one of them."

"This is all just so heartbreaking," Carole said, sitting down at the counter next to her husband. He took her hand in his and raised it to his lips.

Their own tender moment was broken by the shrill ring of the phone. Burt leaped up to answer it, hoping it hadn't disturbed the boys in the other room.

Carole watched anxiously as he spoke to whoever it was on the other end, wondering when just a phone call became something that filled her with dread.

"Are you sure that's necessary?" Burt was saying into the receiver, frowning at whatever he heard. "Well if that's the case then we'll bring the boys in later," he paused while the person on the other end spoke. "No I don't think you understand. There are some things we need to do first and then we'll come," his voice firm as he spoke and he hung up the phone as soon as he was done.

"That was the police," Burt explained, although Carole had already guessed that much. "They've arrested those two..." Carole knew Burt didn't want to use the word "men", instead he said nothing. "They want the boys to go in and identify them."

"What?" Carole exclaimed. "Is that a good idea?"

"In my opinion, no," Burt shook his head. "But I guess it's not up to us."

"This is going to be very hard for them." Carole felt like that was a huge understatement.

"I know. That's why we're going to wait to tell them. Let them have some time together and then Blaine can eat some of those," as Burt pointed at the very tempting pancakes sitting on the side.

"Then we can rip their worlds apart again," Carole said, hugging her husband to her, feeling the same anguish he did.

Why couldn't the boys have one day to themselves, without having to deal with all of this?