Burt clapped Blaine on the shoulder as he made to leave. "Take care of him," Burt said quietly.

"I will," Blaine whispered, stroking Kurt's hair. Blaine couldn't sleep – not that he wanted to, he was happy to just lie and bask in the glory of his boyfriend being safe and well. He hadn't wanted to let Kurt out of his sight. Kurt was dozing, drifting in the middle ground between being asleep and awake.

Nurses and doctors made rounds during the night, checking Kurt's morphine. Blaine realised that when Kurt was off it, he was going to be unbearably sore and the thought of his boyfriend in anymore pain made Blaine want to cry. The nurses checked Kurt's chest and Blaine gasped, eyes wide. He hadn't seen his chest yet and he almost wished he hadn't had to. A large blue and purple bruise ran across his chest in a distinctive seat-belt shape mark and he had wounds from the air bag that had crushed him. Bruises stained his body, as well as scratches and dirt marks.

As the nurse checked his wounds, Kurt avoided Blaine's eyes, biting his lip and looking ashamed. The nurse left after a few moments and Kurt leant back heavily against his boyfriend.

"I'm sorry," Kurt whispered, eyes falling closed.

"Don't apologize," Blaine said, kissing his temple. "He should be apologizing."

Kurt pulled in a stuttering breath. "I don't want to talk about him," Kurt decided.

"I know you don't," Blaine murmured, "but you're going to have to eventually. The police need to know what happened so they can charge that animal for what he did to you."

"I don't think I can," Kurt whimpered.

"I'll be with you the whole time," Blaine assured his boyfriend. "I won't let him hurt you ever again."

Kurt sighed but didn't answer, just closing his eyes and resting his head on Blaine's chest. Kurt didn't sleep; too scared to fall into unconsciousness for fear that he would dream of being tied up in that cabin all over again.

Early in the morning, Burt and Carol came back; just the two of them, the others deciding to come later so that they didn't overwhelm Kurt.

"How are you feeling, honey?" Carol asked softly. She wanted to reach out and offer him a comforting hand but knew that he wouldn't respond to it well.

"Sore," Kurt replied quietly and Carol nodded in response. She glanced down at his hand that was resting on the white sheets of the hospital bed.

It was ugly and swollen, back stitches sticking out, a stark contrast to his pale skin. Kurt followed her gaze and moved his hand away, covering lightly with his other. He was so ashamed that he had let this happen to him – what must everyone think of him? He'd always been effeminate but now they must think him weak and unable to take care of himself. The larger, rational side of his brain told him that they were his family and would love him no matter what, but his attack had left his paralysed with fear and anxiety. Everything was different now. The only thing that hadn't changed – would never change – was his and Blaine's relationship, and he was eternally thankful for that fact.

"Kurt," Burt said, pulling him from his cage of thoughts, "Officer Matthew Tudor, the man who found you, wants to talk you about what happened."

Kurt shook his head and instantly regretted the action. His shoulders were stiff from being tensed in fear all night and subsequently, his neck was sore. "I can't," Kurt whispered, refusing to meet his father's gaze.

"Yes you can, Kurt," Blaine interjected firmly, "and you know why? Because you have the most courage I have ever seen. You are so strong and I know you can do this. I'll be with you the whole time." Kurt looked up at Blaine with trusting eyes and nodded once.

"I'll give him a call," Burt said, smiling gratefully at Blaine and left the room.

Half an hour later Matthew was striding through the door, note pad and pen at the ready as though he had them permanently on standby, which Kurt supposed that he must have. "Hello Kurt," Matthew said gently, standing up rigid. "How are you feeling?"

Kurt raised an eyebrow, giving the man a look that clearly said you're here to interview me about the man that kidnapped me and you're asking how I'm feeling? Blaine stifled a laugh on seeing this expression. It was a shred of Kurt's humour that he thought was lost. It comforted Blaine greatly to know that Kurt was still hanging in there. "Tired," Kurt replied, deciding that he owed the man an answer after everything he had done for him.

"I know this is hard, but I need to know what happened," Matthew said.

Kurt swallowed and shivered and Blaine squeezed his good hand. Kurt shifted so he was leaning against the pillows and Blaine, hissing as pain rippled through his sides. He looked at everyone in the room and took a shaky breath. "I don't want Dad and Carol to hear," Kurt decided. After putting them through so much already, it was the kindest thing he could do for them.

"Kurt," Burt protested.

"I don't want you to know," Kurt repeated, voice growing in urgency.

"Nothing you say is going to make me leave Kurt," Burt replied with a tone of finality.

"You'll only get yourself worked up and end up having a heart attack or something," Kurt said, voice low with severity. "I don't want that to happen."

Burt sighed. Kurt was stubborn, just like his mother. "We'll be right outside," Burt said grudgingly. He took Carol's hand and led her outside. Carol threw a sympathetic look over her shoulder at Kurt, trying to stress that she understood and would take care of his father. After silently communicating that to her stepson, she disappeared out the door with Burt.

"OK, ready?" Matthew asked. "Just take your time and remember that you are safe now. We have Karofsky in custody so he can't harm you."

Kurt bit his lip and took a shaky breath, trying to take it all in and collect his thoughts. Blaine rubbed his back and gave him tender kiss on his cheek.

"Take it from when you left the house," Matthew suggested, poising the pencil on the page, ready to write.

"I was in my car, driving," Kurt said quietly. "I was going to go to Nick's. As Blaine's probably already told you, we had a fight and I just wanted to get away from everything. I caught a glimpse of a car before it hit me, but I didn't recognise it." Blaine squeezed Kurt's good hand and dropped his head on to his boyfriend's shoulder. "I don't remember much of the crash," Kurt admitted, "but I remember that everything went silent and then someone opened my door – Karofsky – and he punched me in the face. I blacked out after that."

Blaine sucked in a breath at this, trying to contain his anger, and Kurt turned his head to meet his eyes, drawing support from his boyfriend. Kurt tried to collect his memories, shaking and wringing his hands together desperately, despite the gaping wound across one of his palms. Blaine instantly recognised this as the beginning of one of Kurt's panic attacks and stepped in, trying to relieve his stress. The panic attacks had started after their ordeal at their last school and Blaine was used to helping Kurt through them by now.

"You can do it," Blaine whispered in Kurt's ear. "I'm right here."

Kurt took a few deep breaths, used to this routine by now. He continued his story, voice weak but growing in volume as the recollections came flooding back. "I woke up tied to a chair and Karofsky was there," Kurt told Matthew. Blaine struggled to keep his emotions controlled for Kurt, but he knew that he needed to be strong for him so Kurt could get through this.

"He said he wanted to get to know me and that if I tried to leave, he – he would hurt Blaine," Kurt's breath hitched and Blaine kissed his neck softly.

"I'm OK; it's OK," Blaine promised, "keep going."

"Karofsky said nobody knew he was gay and that he had to get back before someone noticed he was gone. He left and then I tried to untie myself," Kurt said.

"You got untied, then what?" Matthew asked, writing everything down. Matthew had brought a recorder with him and was also recording everything Kurt said. It would prove vital evidence against Karofsky when this went to court.

"There was a phone and I tried to ring Blaine but it wasn't connected," Kurt whispered. "All the doors were locked and I was sure I wasn't going to be able to leave." Tears streamed down his face and he wiped them with his good hand, fingers still linked with Blaine's. "I needed to get out so I threw a chair out the window and climbed out of it," Kurt continued.

Blaine chuckled low in his throat, trying to relieve some of Kurt's tension and kissed his boyfriend's neck again. "That's my boy," Blaine murmured, pride colouring his words.

"Then I started walking. I got out of the driveway and onto the main road and that's when you found me," Kurt finished, voice a whisper.

"Thank you, Kurt," Matthew said with a nod. "I appreciate you talking to me. I need to ask – and I apologise in advance for this question – did Karofsky touch you at all. Sexually?"

Blaine hissed softly, clenching his jaw and almost crushing Kurt's hand in his hold subconsciously. He didn't realise that Kurt was clutching back just as tight. "NO!" Kurt choked out. "No. He just threatened Blaine and punched me. I mean – he threatened stuff but he didn't…he wouldn't…" Kurt finished, dropping his head slightly.

"I'm sorry but I had to ask, with the message he sent to Blaine it sounded like sexual assault," Matthew said.

"What message?" Kurt asked, whipping his head up to meet Blaine's eyes. "Blaine? What happened?"

Blaine realised that Kurt mustn't have known anything about the texts he received. "Nothing, baby, I just got some texts from Karofsky while he… had you."

"Saying what?" Kurt demanded, refusing to tear his eyes away from Blaine's.

"Threatening stuff. Nothing. Nothing important, anyway. He was just trying to taunt me. That's all," Blaine promised his boyfriend, who nodded once before turning his attention back to the police officer.

"What happens now?" Kurt asked, lifting his chin with an air of defiance. Blaine was grinning from ear to ear. It was all so Kurt and it was beautiful to see.

"We're going to charge Karofsky with kidnapping," Matthew said. "He'll serve time for what he has done. I'll make sure of it. I – be prepared for this to go to court, though. There'll have to be a jury and Karofsky's case will be considered before a sentence is decided upon."

Kurt had expected this. "Okay. Thank you," he replied, smiling sincerely.

"Thank you," Blaine echoed, voice cracking. "Thank you so much."

Matthew nodded and stood. The two boys watched him walk out and Burt and Carol returned, hurrying to Kurt's bedside.

"Are you OK?" Burt demanded to know.

"I'm fine, Dad," Kurt said quietly. "I just want to get out of here."

"Soon, buddy," Burt promised, smiling encouragingly.

Annie and Edward arrived soon afterwards, bearing gifts. They brought flowers and balloons to put some colour in the room and Kurt stared at them, blinking slowly as Annie chatted with everyone. He'd almost forgotten that there was colour in the world except for the hazel of Blaine's eyes and the stark white of the walls.

The doctor came and gave Kurt another check-up, making sure that his cuts were clean and devoid of infection. They re-taped his ribs, Kurt trying to put on a brave face through the pain. The way he was squeezing Blaine's hand sharply was the only indication of the pain he was in.

Blaine had vacated the bed as they did this so that the doctor could tend to Kurt easily, though his hand remained clasped in Kurt's. Annie squeezed her son's shoulder tightly.

"Blaine," Annie spoke quietly, "how are you holding up, dear?"

"Alright," Blaine muttered in response. "I'm more worried about Kurt."

"You know how much he doesn't like hospitals," Annie said gently. "First his mother and then the bullying attack and now this? It's no wonder he's quiet. He'll liven up once he's out."

"I hope so," Blaine said, glancing back at his boyfriend and smiling encouragingly at him.

"I've called Wes and he promised to pass along the message that Kurt was safe," Annie said. "They want to come and visit but I suggested that they restrain themselves. We don't want to overwhelm Kurt."

"Thanks, Mum," Blaine replied, gratefully.

"Anything for you and Kurt, dear," Annie answered softly, kissing Blaine's cheek.

The doctor finished his last check up and signed Kurt's chart. "Everything is looking good so far," he said, smiling gently at Kurt. "But I'm afraid you'll need to stay here for another few days before you are released."

Kurt let out a slight groan but nodded. "Why?" He asked.

"We're worried about infection in some of the cuts," the doctor replied. "So we need to watch out for those and it's best that we keep an eye on your other wounds for now."

Kurt nodded again and rested against the pillows, closing his eyes. He felt himself start to gently drift off, the events of the day finally catching up with him. The doctor nodded at the family and left promptly to see his other patients.

Blaine went back to the bed and kissed Kurt's forehead. Kurt rolled his head so he was facing Blaine but didn't open his eyes, exhaustion overwhelming him.

He knew that Blaine would understand. He always did.