Do you feel like a man, when you push her around?
Do you feel better now as she falls to the ground?
Well, I'll tell you my friend, one day this world's going to end
As your lies crumble down, a new life she has found

A pebble in the water makes a ripple effect
Every action in this world will bear a consequence
If you wade around forever you will surely drown
I see what's going down

Monday rolled around like Mondays always do, with a yawn and a frown. By the end of Glee practice, Kurt just wanted to go home and snuggle on the couch with Blaine. It was what they did every day. They had fallen into a very nice routine. Blaine would pick him up and drive him to school, they'd sit next to each other in English and at lunch, they'd pair up during Glee club, and go home to watch TV or do homework, and practice for their performances. Always ending in kisses on the couch. They have stayed away from beds since the incident at Blaine's. Now the sessions were always stopped mutually before they got out of hand, which was nice. It was comforting to Kurt, not to be stopped abruptly by Blaine or feel like he was cutting Blaine off. They had just found that line in the sand now and hadn't felt the need to try and cross it since.

He stretched, hearing his back crack slightly as he stood up after Schuster dismissed them for the day. Blaine stood in front of him, eyes traveling along his body as he reached for the ceiling. Kurt was used to Blaine's wandering eyes, but the glances still made him blush slightly. "So, are you going to come in for a bit tonight?" Kurt asked already knowing the answer as he walked down the stands with Blaine.

"Actually Kurt, I was wondering if we could talk tonight." Quinn's voice cut into the conversation. She stood leaning gently on the piano. She was always a confident girl, but Kurt could hear the underlining insecurity in her voice. The slight slouch in the way she leaned, as if Kurt would deny her. Brush her off when she needed someone the most.

There was no way Kurt could turn Quinn away, not when he knew what she was going through. "Of course we can, Quinn." Kurt said with a smile as he changed his path from the door to her. He turned to Blaine and kissed him quickly on the lips. "I'll text you later." He promised and let go of Blaine's hand.

Blaine raised an eyebrow, quite obviously curious at the pair. He had never thought of Kurt and Quinn as friends. He had barely even seen them interact since he had transferred to McKinley. He nodded though and gave Kurt's hand a gentle squeeze before walking out of the choir room.

When Kurt was sure Blaine was gone he walked over to Quinn and pulled her reluctant form into a hug. After a few seconds, Quinn relaxed her shoulders and gently wrapped her arms around Kurt. "I just really need to talk to someone." She confessed in a whisper, her face buried in Kurt's shoulder in a way that reminded him of her vulnerability in the bathroom stall a few days ago.

He knew she needed someone, needed a friend and someone to hold her. He knew that feeling, he remembered when he was scared of what he was feeling, and who he was feeling it for. When all he wanted was someone to hug him and tell him it was okay. That he was okay. He would be that person for Quinn, as long as she let him.

"How about we go to my place and we can talk?" He suggested softly.

Quinn nodded, and started out of the room quietly, her back straight and her gaze set on the door. Showing no sign of the insecurity she had just been showing Kurt. He saw so much of himself in Quinn. They were both very stubborn people, while he had never tried to deny to himself who he was, he understood her frustration with her feelings. The battles she was fighting. He fought them alone, but he wouldn't let her.

This was different than their bathroom conversation. There, Quinn was caught at her lowest point, and felt weak and hurt. Here, she was making a conscious choice to let Kurt in, to actually tell him about what was going on. It was a big step; he doubted she had spoken about it to anyone else.

Kurt followed Quinn out of the choir room and hoped above all else that Quinn would be stronger for getting everything out. He wasn't naive though; it was going to be a long and emotional night.

They sat on the couch in his bedroom with a bag of M&Ms and two cans of Diet Coke on the coffee table going ignored by both of them. It was silent and slightly awkward, but Kurt was determined to give Quinn all the time she needed. It wasn't going to help anything to push. Sometimes people needed a nudge to let their emotions out, much like Blaine had nudged him to share what had happened to him, but Quinn was sitting in front of Kurt, making the choice to share. She could have all the time in the world to figure out how she wanted to go about it.

She took a deep breath "You know, the first time I ever saw Rachel Berry I hated her." Quinn began, she was looking at her hands but her eyes were vacant. "Well, it felt like hate. I don't think it was anymore. I think I just knew she was going to cause issues for me." Quinn let out a bitter laugh, still not moving to look at Kurt.

"I just thought I hated her, hated that she was going after Finn, who I never actually liked. Don't get me wrong, Finn's a good guy. He wouldn't hurt anyone and he loved me, but I never loved him. Never found him attractive, but my parents liked him and he was the Quarterback and I was a cheerleader." She looked up then, off into the distance, her eyes seeming to go anywhere but Kurt. "After Lucy Caboosey, being the head cheerleader and dating the Quarterback seemed like the perfect life. It was what I strived for. And then I had it, and I didn't feel any better." She sighed and finally let her eyes meet Kurt's.

"I just accepted what I was feeling as hate, but really, it was fear. I had never felt like that before. I really can't say it was love at first sight, but it was just a different feeling, and I didn't want different. I wanted normal, average. Even if that feeling in my stomach had just been friendship, I couldn't follow it." She let out a deep breath, walking down the memories of the first time she had met Rachel, a lot like when Kurt had remembered the first time he met Blaine, before he had given in and let himself fall into that crazy unknown feeling.

"But when I was with Rachel, I felt better. Of course I never thought it was anything other then just liking to take her down a few pegs. Since that was the only interaction I let myself have. I would only talk to her to be mean to her. For a long time that was all we were. Then I joined Glee and she wanted to be friends so badly. She wanted to play nice, and I couldn't have that!" She laughed, sounding like it was the most absurd thing in the world. And Kurt realized that to the Quinn back then, it had been.

"But we became friends, it was slow, and I tried to fight it but she pushed so hard to be my god damn friend. She said I gave Beth to her mom, so that made us basically family." She stopped for another bitter laugh and a shake of her blond head "I knew it was a bad idea. I tried, I tried so hard to make her hate me. Then I couldn't anymore. Because everything felt okay when she was around."

"She was my first real friend. It was a rocky friendship that bordered between friendship, hate, and on my end love, but it was a real friendship." She said with a shrug.

"I know, sure, I had San and Britt, but they were always San and Britt. They just let me into their little group. I care about them, but they always had each other. Then there was Rachel, and she just wanted to be my friend. And for a while I was okay with that. " Quinn sighed heavily, her eyes were red. Kurt knew she was holding back tears. He placed a hand on her knee as a tear slipped down her cheek. She smiled softly and took a deep breath.

"I should have realized what was happening but I didn't. When I look back it was so glaringly obvious that I liked her but I was in denial. Last year at Prom I almost told her. I was so close. Right after I lost. In the same bathroom you found me in the other day. That's why I was crying, because I just flashed back to that night. And then I heard you coming in and I hid." She admitted, Kurt frowned, hating that he had intruded on her moment with his own.

Quinn continued though, started her story of that night. "I wanted to be Prom Queen so badly because I had convinced myself, once again, if I had that maybe I could pretend to be perfect and normal. I was using Finn, I was always just using Finn, and that's one of the things that makes me feel the worst. He doesn't deserve that. Maybe Finn isn't a great guy, and he sure as hell doesn't deserve Rachel, but he doesn't deserve what I've done to him either."

"I was so angry that my plan was failing. Santana won, Santana always wins. When Rachel came after me I slapped her. I said it was her fault I didn't win, her fault because everyone knew Finn wanted her and not me. I was trying to be hurtful, to make her go away. I just couldn't stand that when she followed me, I felt better. Knowing she was there let me breathe. I can't explain it and I must sound like a lunatic, maybe I am. But when she followed me, I felt calm for half a second. Then I realized I would never have a normal life where I marry Finn and pretend, but I also would never get her, because I was her friend. I slapped her and instantly I felt worse then I ever had before."

Kurt nodded, he understood that. Understood the anger at someone who makes you feel so good because that wasn't allowed. Because that was dangerous. He had fought it so hard with Blaine, the battle between needing that person and needing to keep your heart safe.

"Then she wasn't even mad. She has so much fucking faith in me. She just forgave me the second it happened. I started to tell her, but I got too scared. I remember it so clearly, 'At least you don't have to be terrified all the time.' I started, I decided I had to say it. I had to tell her, future be damned. I just needed her to know." Quinn was fully crying, tears streaming down her face and her breathing coming out harder, but she kept going and Kurt was proud of her. He was on that exact couch, feeling the same way she was with Blaine a while ago. He remembered how much effort it was to keep talking about something that hurt so badly. Sure, he had been talking about sexual abuse and she was talking about unrequited love. They were worlds apart, but they hurt the same way.

"Then she asked me what I was so scared of, and I was about it say it. But I couldn't. I told her I was scared of the future. When we were out of high school. She told me I was the prettiest girl she'd ever seen. I wanted to tell her that I wished she could see how beautiful she was. She sat there and whipped my face, cleaned up the face of a coward, a coward who had made her life hell. Because that's who Rachel is. Yeah, she's a drama queen and sometimes she gets blinded by her determination but she loves so much." Quinn took a deep breath.

"You know, I decided that day that I was going to switch schools? I was determined that Rachel would never love me and I would never put her in that situation. So, I was going to leave."

Quinn shook her head and wiped her face with the back of her hand. "Of course I didn't. But, as you know, I had a rough summer. I refused to see her. She tried to come see me at the beginning. Almost everyday. I turned her away every time. One day I actually made her cry, she didn't come back after that. It's horrible, but the first day she didn't come I was so relieved. But I cried. I cried harder then I had since I gave Beth up. I couldn't decide what was worse, her being there or her not" Quinn pushed herself off of the couch and started walking around, Kurt's eyes silently following her around the room.

"The changes I went through were subconscious, I was self destructing so that Rachel wouldn't want me. But then we got back to school and she did, even more then before. She wanted to fix me. Which would have been insulting if I wasn't begging to be fixed. And she did. One day I was sitting with the skanks and she came up to us. Little Rachel Berry under the bleachers with the skanks, trying to convince me to go back to Glee, to go back to her. She will never know how much I wanted to go, and how much it killed me to turn her away. Because I thought I had it. She said that this was our last chance to get it right. It broke my heart because I knew we could never get it right." She leaned against the writing desk in the corner. "At least not the 'right' that I wanted."

"I tried to stay away from her, away from Glee. But I couldn't, she didn't leave me alone. She was always there, at my locker, at my window, just there. She even gave up asking me to go back to Glee. She stopped trying to get me to go back to the way I used to look, even admitted to liking the pink hair." Quinn laughed, a real smile on her face at the memory.

Kurt smiled and nodded, he remembered Rachel during that time too. One day in particular came to mind, they were sitting on couch as they had just been and Rachel was rambling about Quinn, which had become the norm at the time. She mentioned how the smoke was giving her a headache when ever she was around Quinn and how that stupid tattoo was just a press on, but God forbid anyone find that out. Then she had slipped it in, like she hadn't even noticed, and Kurt hadn't mentioned it, a simple "But she looks very good with that pink hair. Its very attractive." It was paired with a light nibble of her lip before Rachel continued on complaining about the skanks. It hadn't gone under Kurt's radar, but he hadn't mentioned it. He knew it wasn't his place. Even then he had an idea of Quinn's feelings, but no one had asked him about it so he stayed as a silent observer, wondering how long they could go on playing at a platonic friendship.

Looking back now Kurt had to laugh since he had done the same thing, he had pretended, for a very short period of time that Blaine and himself were just friends. Could only be just friends. How Rachel and Quinn had managed to play at it for so long was remarkable. Whether Rachel thought anything of it or not Kurt knew she had an attraction to Quinn. But of course, The Nile is not only a river in Egypt, as they say.

Quinn flopped back down on the couch with a loud and frustrated groan. "And now, she's succeeded in bringing me back to reality and thinks everything is back to normal. Which it is, but she doesn't know that normal is me being miserably in love with her and her not having a clue while she goes and bangs Finn Hudson." She said and crossed her arms over her chest dramatically. "Fucking Rachel Berry. Why? It's not fair. I know life isn't fair, blah blah blah. But will I never catch a break?"

Kurt was silent for a moment as he pieced it all together in his head. He felt such sympathy for her. He understood, far better then he ever thought he'd understand Quinn Fabray.

The more he heard the more he wanted to help, but had no idea how, or even if he should. That was also a huge question, someone was going to get hurt. Did he want to be in the mess when they did? It was a very awkward situation. He loved his brother, he loved his best friend, and he, oddly enough, did love this bitchy girl in front of him. He wanted them all to be happy, but he couldn't see that happening.

"She did really like the pink hair…" He joked lightly, he smiled when Quinn laughed lightly and relaxed back into the couch with a light pink flush on her cheeks. "Quinn, listen to me. I have no idea what Rachel thinks of you, if she thinks of you in anyway other then her friend. But she does think of you as her best-friend, right beside me of course." He said with a light nudge of their shoulders. "It's obvious that you aren't just crushing on her, and this is a really hard thing to come to terms with, Quinn. I can't promise that I'll be able to get Rachel to fall in love with you. Because no one has control over that, not even her. But I will admit that you do have me kind of rooting for you. You really care about her. If this works out, I would definitely approve of you. Because, as her best friend, you do have to get through my approval." He teased again.

Quinn laughed lightly and nodded "So I have the Kurt Hummel seal of approval?" She asked with a slight sniff.

Kurt nodded. "I think so. Rachel and I have plans for Wednesday, so I'll see what's going on then. I don't know what good it will do, but I'll see." He pulled Quinn into a tight hug.

"You've got an ally in me, Quinn Fabray. Never forget that. Not just with Rachel, but with everything. If you ever just need to talk, I'm here. "

Quinn smiled and nodded, her eyes still stained red but she didn't look on the verge of crumbling anymore. She rested her head on his shoulder and he felt her nodding against him. "Thank you Kurt. That means a lot. But you're kind of crushing me with your support. I can't breathe."

A few hours later, Quinn was gone and Kurt was laying on his bed flipping through a magazine, his skin care regime just finished. He yawned as his phone started singing. The feeling he got when Blaine's face lit up his phone was like sparks in his tummy.

"Hey, honey." Kurt said, half yawning as he stretched out on the bed, "How was your night?" He asked allowing his eyes to shut in anticipation of Blaine's voice.

When the sound of Blaine's voice flooded through the phone, it washed over Kurt. "It was good, kind of boring. I missed having you there, but Cooper kept me entertained. He was coming up with another list of stories he wanted to tell." He laughed and Kurt could picture him in a similar position as himself on his own bed.

He laughed at the thought of getting more Anderbro stories. He loved hearing them, it made him feel like he knew Blaine for so much longer than he actually has. "Oh, that will be fun!"

He could imagine Blaine shaking his head and rolling his eyes "For you maybe. I hate those stories, I was such a weird kid." He sighed with a whiney tone in his voice that made Kurt giggle.

"Oh shush. You were adorable. I love hearing those stories, just wait, one day, Dad will decide to start telling you stories and you're going to think they are just as cute as I think yours are." He promised.

"Well yes, I will. And you will sit there and be mortified. Then you will know how I feel!" Blaine teased back. "So, how was your visit with Quinn? I didn't think you guys were friends"

Kurt yawned lightly and shrugged even though Blaine couldn't see him, his eyes were closed and he snuggled into his pillows. He made a non-committal noise before he answered "We are. We just don't hang out a lot. I like her, even if she can be a bitch sometimes."

Blaine made a small sound. "I guess you were both on the Cheerios. You guys have a good talk? She sounded like something was on her mind." He said and Kurt could hear shuffling of fabric and imagined Blaine was changing into his pajamas or what ever he chose to wear to bed.

The image flooded his tired mind and he smiled to himself. "I was just helping her through some typical gay teenager issues." Kurt said with a shrug, he pulled a pillow to his chest, pretending he was hugging Blaine, listening to his voice on the other end of the phone, putting him to sleep.

There was silence on the end for a moment and Kurt made a questioning sound. "Blaine?" he asked, hoping the line hadn't gone dead.

"Wait, are you saying Quinn is gay?" Blaine asked and Kurt sat up straight in his bed.

"Shit! Blaine, I didn't mean to say that. I was falling asleep. Blaine, you can't tell anyone! She will kill me, she isn't ready for people to know." Kurt felt like he had just betrayed Quinn, he practically had. She had come out to him, only to him, it wasn't his right to out her to Blaine. "I feel horrible." Kurt confessed as he slouched back into his pillows.

He could hear Blaine shaking his head on the other end, hear the hair moving against the screen. "No, of course not. I just can't believe I missed that. Wait. Didn't she have a baby Sophomore year?" he asked, confusion in his voice.

Kurt sighed and nodded, knowing Blaine couldn't see him. "Yes, she did. She slept with Noah once. That doesn't mean anything. She had it really rough at her last school, she was trying to prove to herself she wasn't in love with a girl." Kurt explained, trying not to give away too many details. It wasn't his place to share this information. Sure, Blaine was his boyfriend but Quinn was his friend, and he wouldn't betray a friend just because Blaine made his heart splutter.

Blaine was silent for a moment and Kurt wondered how the situation was going to unfold. Blaine wouldn't tell anyone, that was obvious. He would never out someone. But Blaine had an overwhelming need to help people, like he had tried to help Kurt. If Blaine wanted to help Quinn it could blow up in everyone's faces.

"She's in love with Rachel, isn't she? It all makes sense. That's why she'd go to you. Well, that, and the fact that you're totally understanding and sweet. But you know Rachel better than anyone. And now that I think about it, it's kinda obvious. I just never really thought about it because of babygate." Blaine concluded, he didn't sound happy or sad, just like pieces were fitting together.

Kurt thought about avoiding the truth, stating that he couldn't comment on the situation, but he was too tired and knew he had to trust Blaine. "Yeah, Blaine, she loves Rachel. She just needs some help getting through this. Rachel is with Finn and they are getting married. It's a lot for Quinn, who is genuinely in love with Rachel. It sucks, but I'm helping her through it. I know you want to help. You are so perfect and you have this amazing ability to make people feel better. You made the world of difference to me. But for now can you just pretend you don't know? Give her some time. I'll talk to her about telling you, but I don't think she wants anyone else to know right now." Kurt said biting his lip. He hated that he put himself in that situation. Put Quinn in that situation.

He heard Blaine nodding once again "Yeah, of course. My lips are sealed. I'll be there for her when she wants me. She doesn't know me. I'm just your boyfriend to most of the Glee club. I get it. Just, let her know I'd be there if she wanted me to be."

Kurt smiled, he was amazed time and time again how lucky he was to have Blaine there. "You know that pillow you slept on that night we fell asleep here?" Kurt asked as he settled back into bed, hugging a pillow to his chest.

Blaine chuckled and nodded "The night of the storm. When you finally admitted you liked me. I remember." He teased lightly.

Kurt laughed. "I said we didn't have a platonic relationship." He clarified but continued "It still smells like you a little, it did more so right after. I'm hugging it right now." He said and took in a deep breath. "It's losing its scent. But it works, it helps me sleep, pretending it's your chest." He admitted in his half asleep state.

"That's adorable, how about I bring you an actual pillow from my bed tomorrow, sweetheart?" He asked softly.

Kurt nodded into the pillow. "I'd rather you'd just sleep with me."

He heard Blaine chuckle over the phone "I wish that too. But the pillow will work for now right?" Blaine asked.

"Yeah. I guess. For now. I saw an old Dalton hoodie hanging on your doorknob, can I have that too?" Kurt slurred slightly, fighting the edges of sleep.

"Of course. I'd love for you to wear anything of mine." Blaine said affectionately. "But I think you're falling asleep. So I'm going to hang up. I'll see you in the morning, sweetheart."

With a mumbled "Night honey" the line went dead and Kurt fell into a peaceful sleep.

The next day Blaine was stuck taking a shift at the Diner, which left Kurt sitting at home alone that night. A typical Tuesday sitting in the living room with homework spread out over the coffee table as Kurt sat on the floor, his back to the couch and a pen in hand.

Blaine promised that the need for him to cover a shift wasn't one that happened often, only when someone called in sick and no one, including Cooper could fill in. Kurt didn't mind too much though. Blaine was still sending him texts every chance he got to sneak behind the counter.

Prince Eric: You know, you could come and do your homework here. There is a very nice vacant table right next to the counter. By a window, lots of natural light.

Kurt shook his head, a smile on his face. It was a very tempting offer but it would mean getting up and he really didn't feel like doing that on a lazy Tuesday afternoon. He also knew he wouldn't be getting a whole lot of work done watching Blaine fly from table to table smiling and charismatically chatting with the restaurant goers in his cute little apron.

Kurt: Tempting, but I'm good here. You're coming over when you're done right?

Prince Eric: Of course I am! Nothing could keep me away. Ah! Jack is giving me the death glare, someone needs a coffee refill. See you later.

The phone made a slightly metallic thud on the coffee table when Kurt put it down and picked up his pencil. The house was silent other then the Wicked soundtrack that he had playing at a low level from the stereo speakers.

Burt and Carole were both at work and would be until at least eight. with Finn at football practice till who knew when Kurt was left alone to his own devices. He knew pretty well that Blaine would be the one to break him of his solitude when he got off and made it across town at around 6:30 or 7:00.

To be honest it was Kurt's first moments truly alone since the slushy incident. He had always had people by his side. Only a few moments to himself in the day, never at school. He was enjoying the empty house as he sang along to No Good Deed and worked at his French homework.

Lumier: Lover boys going to be there soon right princess? I dnt care if i can see the footballers. I dnt like u being alone.

Kurt rolled his eyes fondly at the text; leave it to Noah to be worried when he can see everyone that was a threat. It always made Kurt smile how much Noah had grown to care about him. How brotherly he had gotten, even more so then Finn. It didn't matter that they had a really rough relationship in the beginning; Noah would fight by his side to the very end.

Kurt really couldn't ask for a better friend and protector than Noah. Blaine was amazing, but in a different way. Blaine could protect him from the bad feelings and make him feel safe in his arms, but Noah could actually kick someone's ass. He knew Blaine could as well if he had to, but for some reason he didn't have the same threat level as Noah did. Kurt had heard of Blaine's anger issues, and seen the fringes of it, but he couldn't help but view Blaine as someone who protected him on an emotional level.

Though, he had to admit. The idea of Blaine kicking a footballers ass for threatening Kurt was a very sexy image. He could deny it all he wanted, but the protective boyfriend type was a total turn on.

He shook his head lightly at how off track his thoughts had gotten.

Kurt: Yes, Noah. Blaine is coming right after his shift. About an hour and a half I think.

Lumier: Good. Ttyl princess.

Kurt didn't even really notice it at first, the movement outside the window. Just a shadow from a tree. Until it didn't look like just a tree branch. A body moved past the window, Kurt catching it out of the corner of his eye. He squinted at the window and gently put the pencil down.

It was ridiculous he knew, he hadn't been alone lately and the setting sun was casting weird shadows. Still, Kurt was on edge. He took two long deep breathes and shook his head. He was just paranoid.

Just as he picked up the pencil once again there was a knocking sound from across the house. A light banging on the kitchen window.

His stomach started to flop uncomfortably with fear and he felt like a drama queen when he wanted to run down to his room and lock his door. He forced himself up and to the kitchen, convincing himself as he went of the mundane and ration explanation for the noise.

The room was empty like he'd expected. A branch hanging low by the window. Kurt rolled his eyes at himself as he pulled out his cell-phone.

Kurt: Blaine, are you almost done? I've been spending too much time with people, being alone is freaking me out. I keep thinking I'm hearing things outside the windows.

He knew it was just his imagination but he just needed Blaine there. He walked back into the living room and over to his backpack, knelt down and unziped the bag to pull out the fluffy material of the blue Dalton hoody Blaine had given him that morning along with a pillow that was laid down across the couch.

He inhaled the scent on the hoody as he slipped it over his head. It was a little big on him and was just close enough to Blaine's arms to make him feel a little calmer. He looked down at the pile of books and smiled to himself. At least he had finished his French work before the ghosts and ghouls had distracted him. He placed it all neatly into his backpack, ready for school the next morning.

Prince Eric: Yeah, just finishing up, Mandy just got here to take over. I'll be there in about 45 minutes. Just make sure everything's locked to put your mind at ease. I'll see you soon sweetheart

Kurt smiled and picked up the pillow from the couch. Hugging it to his chest he shot off a quick response to Blaine as he walked around the house, checking every window and door he past, looking outside each window in turn, glancing off into the shadows of the setting sun. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. He reminded himself as he headed down the stairs to his bedroom that it was just his mind playing tricks on him.

He used to be able to ignore knocks in the shadows, but now he was used to having Blaine or Noah there to check every corner before he had the chance to even worry.

It was their constant attention to his safety that was making him nervous. Obviously he was just becoming as paranoid about his safety as they were. As far as Kurt was concerned it was nothing more then teenage boys trying to play the night in shining armor and Kurt was just getting caught up in the make believe danger.

When Kurt got down to his room he couldn't even bother to turn on the light, he just stumbled his way through the room, thankfully not running into anything before sinking down into his couch. He sighed once more taking a deep inhale of the smell lingering on the pillow he clutched. Not quite as good as Blaine himself, but it would do for the next 40 minutes or so until Blaine got there.

After he was filled with warmth from the scent he reached over and flicked on the tabletop lamp beside him, casting a faint white glow around the room as he found the remote control and turned on the TV.

The screen came to life with the opening menu for Chicago, which he had been watching the night before when he was doing his math work with Blaine. He started humming Cell Block Tango as he pressed himself into the couch bringing his legs up next to him. Completely content to focus on a musical and bask in the sweater and pillow until Blaine himself arrived and otherwise distracted him.

Nothing seemed out of the norm, everything in its perfect place as he relaxed, until there was a slight ruffle of sheets followed by a voice.

"Well Kurt Hummel. Long time no see" Kurt knew that voice. He had heard it in his nightmare for months, only recently drowned out by dreams of Blaine.

His blood went ice-cold, his body started to shake. He was frozen in place for a few moments. He felt like his breath was caught in his throat. He had to be dreaming, this had to be a hallucination. There was no way David Karofsky was in his house. In his room.

He slowly turned around; his eyes prickling with tears. He looked around the room and landed on his bed.

David Karofsky was lying on his bed. His bed. It felt so wrong, like a betrayal. His back was pressed against the headboard and his hands were folded over his stomach casually. His dirty football cleats leaving mud stains on the grey comforter that Kurt had made up this morning before school.

The image just wouldn't process in his mind, how was this happening? It couldn't be happening.

Kurt spluttered, unable to grasp words, he wanted to scream or move or something but he couldn't. Too many old memories mixing with new fears stopped his body from reacting. He watched, unmoving as Karofsky threw his legs over the side of the bed and stood up.

He was just as frightening as Kurt remembered him being the last time he had seen him in Principal Figgins office all those months ago. Except he was somehow more daunting now, less of a scared closeted schoolboy and more of an angry man with revenge in mind.

He wasn't chubby anymore, still tall and stalky though. Fat was replaced with muscle and Kurt had no doubt what David could do now, what he planned on doing.

"Get up lady boy. We are going to finish what we started." David growled as he took a step forward "You may have gotten me kicked out of my school, humiliated me and made my father hate me, but you haven't won. You will never win" he spat, venom filling his voice.

Kurt was taken back by the tone. He was use to hateful words being used against him, he was used to people hating him for being different. But he had never heard anyone sound like that before. There was so much hate and disgust in David's voice, that it chilled Kurt to his bones.

Kurt looked around the room quickly eyes fleeting helplessly over every object in the room. He couldn't fight off David, that was clear enough, but there had to be something he could do.

He felt his phone vibrate slightly in his pocked at pulled it out, shaky hands fumbled with his phone, speed dialing Blaine. Blaine, he needed Blaine.

David was over to him in seconds ripping the phone from his grasp as Kurt let out a strangled cry as the device went hurting towards the wall. He heard it shatter against the drywall but couldn't take his eyes off of Karofsky who was now glaring down at him, his eyes shinning like marbles.

Kurt pushed himself against the armrest of the couch, bringing his knees up. He felt so weak and so stupid, he wanted to fight, to run. But he couldn't.

He remembered the last time he had tried to fight back. The only thing that had kept him alive that time was the students and faculty roaming the halls to hear his screams. No one would hear him now. Now, he was in an empty house and he doubted even his high-pitched screams would be heard from the next house over from the basement.

He felt the arm of the couch dig into his back and he remembered how it was such a short time ago he was sitting on that couch with Blaine. So much had happened on that couch. He had confessed his feelings for Blaine, fallen asleep in his arms, became a boyfriend on that couch. And now he was cowering for his life on that couch, with Blaine's pillow held to his chest like a lifesaver.

"You thought you had it bad that day in the closet? I just wanted to get off. You kind of bugged me, but it wasn't about hurting you Hummel. You were just a toy." He was right in front of Kurt now, looking down at him with dark, hateful eyes. He reached forward and ripped the pillow out of his hands, Kurt yelped at the fabric being torn from his hands and across the room. He vaguely noticed the sound of something crashing and breaking as the pillow hit it.

"Now, it is about hurting you." David said, his face level with Kurt's. "Its about humiliating you, like you humiliated me. I am going to make you wish you just let me fuck you the first time." Karofsky said as he stood up and stepped back a few feet.

"You're going to get down on your knees and suck me off like a good little slut, then I'm going to fuck you raw. And then, when I get bored of you, I'm going to slit that pretty little neck of yours. Or maybe I'll just scar you up a bit. Make sure no one ever wants to touch you again" His eyes were gleaming like a wild dogs. Like a predator out on the hunt. "I guess it just depends on how good of head you give"

Kurt was shaking like a leaf. He didn't know what to do. He wouldn't make it if he ran but the image of what Karofsky was talking about, it almost seemed worse then his throat being slashed. For a moment he thought maybe he should just make a run for it, hope that Karofsky killed him quickly, but he doubted he would. The look in Karofsky's eyes was not one of mercy. It was clear to anyone that David fully intended to make Kurt suffer for as long as he could.

Kurt couldn't run, and he knew he had little chance of making it out, but he had to try. Blaine's eyes flashed in his mind and he just couldn't bare the thought of not fighting to see those eyes again.

"Finn will be home soon, and Blaine. Blaine is going to be here any minute! You're not going to get away with this David" Kurt said not knowing if the use of his name would help or hinder is cause. "Please, you don't have to do this! You can leave right now."

Karofsky laughed, deep from his belly "Yes I do have to do this. I've never had to do anything else in my entire life like I have to do this." He said shaking his head, "And actually, the other football guys have promised to make sure the team is there good and late." He said waving his own cell phone in the air, open to a text that seemed to say something along the lines of: pissed the beast off, 100 laps. You owe us.

"Blaine, the boyfriend? Like he's much threat. He wont be able to get in. and even of he does I'll end him right here in front of you." David promised and suddenly Kurt prayed to whichever deity would listen that Blaine would get caught in traffic, or have to stay later. Anything to keep him from his house.

"Hummel, I have nothing to lose. You took everything. So what if I get caught? My life is over anyways. I'll take you down with me, you little fag"

Before Kurt knew what was happening he was being thrown off the couch and into some object that he couldn't quite place, but that dug painfully into his shoulder.

He shook his head and pushed himself away from the pointed object that he now realized was the overturned coffee table, it was then that he heard the click of the army knife opening, the sharp blade glinting in the faint white light. If he had had any hope that he was going to get out of that room alive it vanished when he saw the blade.

"Get on your knees" Karofsky demanded calmly, the anger was still in his voice, but the terror in Kurt's eyes had solidified his power. He was the one with the knife. He could do anything he wanted.

Blaine felt his phone vibrate in his pocket as he pulled open the door to his car, getting in after saying goodbye to everyone at the Diner. They never let him leave without a thousand goodbyes, as if they would never see him again. He saw Kurt's number and answered "Hey sweetheart, just-" He was cut off but the sound of Kurt's voice in a strangled cry, then the line going dead.

He couldn't digest what had just happened. His heart raced and his head swam. His mind was trying to piece the sounds together at a mile a minute, all he could think of was Kurt's texts about the noises outside. He tried to call Kurt back, the call going straight to voicemail. Blaine swore loudly as the realization that something was wrong sank in, if the call itself hadn't been enough he just knew, deep in his stomach.

He was driving down the street breaking a hundred road laws as he barreled down the highway, phone to his ear.

"Damn it Finn pick up your God damned phone!" Blaine shouted as the call went to voicemail for the fourth time.

Pressing another few buttons he tried Puck's number.

"What's up lover boy? Need Finn to pick you up some condoms?" Puck joked on the other line.

Blaine had no patients "Shut the fuck up Puckerman. Something's wrong. Very, very wrong. Kurt texted me, he was scared of some noises he said he was just being paranoid. I told him to lock the doors and I'd be right over when my shift ended, and then I just got a call. He was screaming or crying or something and then the line went dead. Something bad happened Noah. You need to get there now. You're closer then I am. I'm calling the police. I'll be there soon." Blaine hung up quickly as he made a sharp turn towards Kurt's house.

As he drove recklessly down the suburban roads, on the phone frantically with 911, he tried to remind himself that he was no good to Kurt dead. He couldn't slow down, but he did force himself to take the turns a little softer, not wanting to over turn the car.

It seemed like hours but was really a shocking 15 minutes till he was pulling into the Hudmel driveway.

When he jumped out of the car he saw Puck and Finn trying to break down the door. "Finn don't you have a fucking key?" Blaine demanded as he ran up to the two boys. They were both panting and rubbing their shoulders.

"Frankinteen forget his God damned key this morning." Noah growled, looking murderously at Finn, his fists clenched at his sides.

Finn threw his hands up in defense "Hey, I thought Kurt would be home to let me in don't start ye-" Finn was cut off by a very loud and pained scream from inside the house.

Kurt knew he should have just listened to the orders, he knew well enough that the angrier he made David the worse his pain would be. He couldn't though, even with every logical bone in his body he couldn't comply to Karofsky. He had ruined too much for him already. He wasn't going to let this disgusting man in front of him take any more of his dignity.

In that moment, slumped against broken wood and a hard floor Kurt did something he knew was stupid, he spat. He spat right on Karofsky's football cleats, the same cleats he had worn with his McKinley football uniform last year.

Maybe it was the last ditch attempt at keeping what little pride Kurt had, the fight to not bow down to David even in a situation like this. David wasn't bluffing, he wasn't trying to scare Kurt. He was telling the truth, He knew he was going to be arrested for this, he knew his life was over, but he also knew that he would take Kurt down with him if it was the last thing he did. Which it might be.

The knife was out and to Kurt's throat faster than Kurt thought possible, the blade biting into his skin, not hard enough to draw blood but enough to prove very vividly that it wouldn't take much to do more then draw a little blood.

Karofsky's other hand weaved its way into his hair and yanked, not the soft sexy pull like Blaine did once and a while, but a sharp tug like his hair was being ripped out.

Kurt screamed loudly and tears started falling down his cheek. No matter how much he didn't want to cry he couldn't hold it back anymore. This was the end; Kurt could feel it in the anger that seeped off of David's large form. The death grip on his hair and the blade to his neck.

It was a brief thought, but it did cross Kurt's mind; Noah was right. Kurt had been in danger this whole time. Kurt felt his stomach knot as he realized Noah would blame himself. He would never live down the fact that he had failed to protect Kurt again. New tears at the thought ran down Kurt's face.

"That's right lady boy cry." David said as he pulled Kurt to his knees. "Cry like the little bitch you are." David kept the knife at Kurt's throat but removed his hand in his hair long enough to pull himself from his pants. "Suck it bitch" He growled loudly. His eyes glaring down demandingly at Kurt.

Kurt shook his head, refusing to even look at the thing in front of him. He shut his eyes and turned his face away, he was mumbling 'no' over and over and over again. It was only a few days ago, on Blaine's bed that he had started thinking about doing what David was now demanding, to Blaine. He had wanted to, wanted to make Blaine feel good like that. He wasn't going to give Karofsky that pleasure. He was going to die anyways. That much was clear. He wouldn't let this man steal anymore of his firsts. Even if he never got out alive, Karofsky would never have a single other first from him. He'd sooner die.

That was when he felt it, the slice of the blade, right along his cheekbone. It was a shallow cut, just enough to send blood trickling down his face, and he could taste the copper as it hit his lip. He almost gagged at the thought.

He shook his head, fighting against the hand that was now trying to guide his face, tears were mixing with the blood on his lips and he kept his mouth shut, fighting against the sobs that wanted to erupt from his mouth.

David was growling above him, pulling harder still on Kurt's sandy hair. "You do realize that you will do this in the end don't you? You aren't getting out of here to be ashamed of this later so just fucking suck." David yelled.

Still, Kurt couldn't bring himself to do it. He knew he should, he knew that everything he'd ever been told about these situations said to comply. When there was no way to fight your way out. He also knew how these stories ended. You only heard about the kid who fought their way out of a situation like this on CSI, never the News. On the News you heard of the dead bodies found in basements.

Then Kurt screamed loud and long as the blade dug into his collar bone, through the thick blue material of his the hoody and the thin white top he had worn that day, it sliced through the deep purple mark Blaine had left, it cut deep and long.

It happened too fast after that. There was banging from upstairs then shouting through the house; he heard his name being shouted. His eyes were still glued shut as he was thrown across the room, he landed against something that he soon realized was the entertainment unit as DVDs fell from their places, hitting him on the head and leaving scraps across his face.

There was more shouting but all Kurt could do was wrap his arms around his legs and bury his head in his knees. He tried to hide from the world, block out the yelling and the screaming from around him.

Then there were arms around him, strong, protective arms. He started to flinch away but was greeted by the only smell that could have calmed him down. Blaine.

Kurt opened his eyes to see Blaine's golden eyes looking at him, tears rimming them red. "Blaine" he tried, he didn't know if any sound came out. He closed his eyes tight once again and buried his head in Blaine's shoulder.

"Oh Kurt, fuck. I'm here. I'm here. Fuck, you're going to be okay. I'm here sweetheart I'm here" Over and over the same words along with strokes of his hand in Kurt's hair, dulling out the pain of Karofksy's grip with the sweet and comforting pats of Blaine's palm.

Kurt could smell Blaine, Blaine and his own blood but he ignored the latter and focused on the scent of Blaine. He kept repeating the name over and over to himself.

There was still yelling but all Kurt could focus on was the voice whispering next to him, the feeling of his lips against the shell of his ear. He couldn't even open his eyes as shook with relief and tears.

Blaine repeated the same words over and over in various orders "It's going to be okay, it's over now, I'm here now" All focusing on the present, trying to drown out the recent past.

Then there was Finn's voice, Finn's shaky voice mixing in with Blaine's mantra. "Its okay Kurt. He's gone. He's never coming back this time. They got him Kurt, they got him." Finn said and Kurt could feel his uncertain touch ghost over his leg.

He knew it was Finn but he flinched away, closer to Blaine, throwing himself in Blaine's lap. Wrapping himself around his boyfriend for all he could, basking in the safety of Blaine's arms.

"Don't touch him man. I'm shocked he's letting lover boy near him. Don't spook him" That was Noah, Noah was there.

Everything was going to be okay. Blaine and Noah were there and Karofsky was gone. That was all Kurt could focus on, not the pain running through his tired body or the flashing memories of the blade, but the fact that the two people he felt safest with where there with him.

"Noah." Kurt croaked, finally cracking an eye open, to make eye contact with Noah. To prove to himself that both Noah and Blaine where there, they had come to rescue him. He couldn't even feel pathetic for needing rescued; all he cared about was that they came.

"Yeah dude, I'm here" He said and grabbed a blanket from the couch, tossing it over Kurt and Blaine gently as Blaine rocked them back and forth. "You're probably going through shock, you're shivering." He said softly as he knelt down next to them "Dude, the ambulance should be here soon. And before you argue, don't. They are checking you out. Not a word of argument Princess."

Kurt wanted to argue, wanted to say he just wanted to curl up and go to bed. That was what he wanted to do, to go to sleep in Blaine's arms. Safe and sound.

Then he thought of his bed, the bed that David was been laying on not even an hour ago. Had it really been such a short time ago?

Kurt felt like he was going to be sick. "Okay." he said as he nuzzled back into Blaine's shoulder

Even a hospital bed would be better than having to even look at the one David had ruined forever