Chapter 4: I want to be there for you

"Just stay away from Blaine ok Lady Boy!"

The words echoed in Kurt's head as the fist of the man in front of him went straight into his nose with a crushing blow. Kurt didn't have time to scream for help. He fell backwards, bashing his head on the low wall behind him. The man in front faded from his vision.

Kurt approached the school with the same casual optimism he had every day. He knew that whatever happened today Blaine was there for him. Kurt could handle anything that was thrown at him. He was unstoppable.

Turning the corner Kurt came up to the familiar sight of his locker. He slowly began to replace a few of the books in his bags with others from within his locker. Kurt smiled to his self as he thought about how much fun he'd had going to the cinema with Blaine last night. Their relationship was definitely going well.

Suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed the back of Kurt's coat (it was an Alexander McQueen and a particular favourite of Kurt's). Kurt was pulled by three jocks into the boys' locker room. In a sudden fit of desperation Kurt found himself searching for "The Bully Whips", even if he had to deal with their gloating for weeks Kurt would take it if they could get him out of this situation. However, they were nowhere to be seen.

Kurt felt himself slammed against a locker. His eyes were wide as they took in the three jocks standing in front of him. They were all friends on Karofsky's. Kurt never really swore, but even he found himself curse under his breath. He knew this had been on the cards for a long time but he had hoped na�vely that he could be kept safe by his friends.

"What the hell did you do to my man Karofsky? You little fag!" The first jock yelled, his face millimetres from Kurt's and Kurt could feel his hot breath across his face.

"I'm not going to listen to this! I didn't do anything!" Kurt knew this might be his last chance to stand up to them before his voice completely failed him. Kurt tried to keep his voice level, but he could hear the wavers in it and clearly the jocks could too. They laughed at him, pushing him against the locker of which he'd managed to step away from a tiny bit.

The first punch hurt. It came right into his face and Kurt felt his nose break beneath the weight of it. Kurt tried not to but he couldn't stop himself releasing a small whimper.

The punches, kicks and slaps all came quickly after that. You would have thought after so many Kurt would stop feeling them so badly but each hurt as much as the first. After what can only have been a five minutes at the most, but what felt like hours to Kurt, the jocks left leaving Kurt huddled in a ball at the base of the locker he had been shoved up against.

Kurt felt blood coming from his nose but luckily nowhere else was bleeding. Kurt must have sat there for half an hour before he heard the sound of people moving about in the hallways.

"I can't face them" Kurt thought; the pity in their eyes, the guilt that they were not there to help. No, Kurt couldn't do that. Carefully pulling himself up, Kurt felt his muscles scream at him, the pain was awful, but Kurt knew he couldn't stay here.

Kurt looked out of the locker room. Everyone was in the hall way, they would surely see him; he could already see Mercedes looking down the corridor for him. Kurt didn't know what else to do, so he ran for it.

He saw each face stare at him as he passed. He had no idea what he looked like but he knew his nose was bleeding and he was pretty sure that even his extra-strength hair spray couldn't save his hair from the onslaught. He saw the jocks looking at him. Some looked mocking, some almost looked ashamed and others just looked shocked. In fact most of the people he went past looked on shocked. Rachel and Mercedes were talking by now. As Kurt ran past Rachel screamed and Mercedes tried to reach out to him. But Kurt continued, he had to get away! Finn did the most to stop him. Kurt felt a hand grab his arm and pull him back. Kurt looked frantic, as he saw more people approaching.

"Please Finn, just let me go." Kurt looked deep into his brother's eyes, eventually Finn relinquished his grip and Kurt ran free. Kurt was at the door by now. He pulled it open, pain rushed through his body and Kurt winced as he stumbled outside.

Once out Kurt knew the person he wanted to see. The name was like a pulse "Blaine, Blaine, Blaine, Blaine"

Kurt pulled out his phone and dialled the familiar number, though he realised Blaine would probably be in class. On the tenth ring Kurt was about to hang up when a familiar voice sounded through the phone.

"Hey, Kurt! You ok?" Relief washed over Kurt.

"Hey, Blaine, am I interrupting you, I didn't mean to, it's just…" Kurt's voice broke, he was still far from coming to terms with what had happened.

"Kurt, oh my God! Are you ok? Well obviously not, did they hurt you?" Blaine sounded worried. Kurt had a bad history with bullies; Blaine had thought that had all gone, though, now!

"I… I just need to see a friendly face. Please can I meet you?" Kurt hated sounding so weak in front of Blaine but, for once he didn't feel like pretending to be stronger. He just wanted to be comforted.

"Tell me where you are, I'll come pick you," Blaine, still sounded worried and this made Kurt feel bad. Blaine was giving up school for him? That wasn't right Blaine had done enough for him.

"No, no Blaine, really don't miss school for me! We can meet up after school. I think it's best if I just went home now. I'm sorry for calling I guess we just wanted to hear a friendly voice." Kurt stumbled over his words; he didn't want Blaine to feel guilty for not being there. After all Blaine couldn't always be there he had a life outside of Kurt.

"No, Kurt." Blaine said, "I'm glad you called, never be afraid that I am too busy or asleep or anything. I want you to always call me when anything like this happens. I want to be there for you, Kurt."

Kurt sighed. He couldn't help but love Blaine sometimes.

"Thanks, Blaine. You know you're really amazing right?"

"It's no problem, honestly, I'm driving by now, I'll pick you up and we can come back to mine. Do you want me to stay on the line?"

"No, Blaine, it's fine, I need a moment to think things through."

"Ok, Kurt I'll say goodbye then now. I'll be over soon."

The phone line cut out. Kurt sat down on a wall a few streets away from the school. He quickly texted Blaine to give Blaine another thanks and his location. Kurt sighed; there was nothing else to think about anymore, he couldn't stop the tears falling.

Blaine arrived about half an hour later

Kurt looked up and the look in Blaine's face made him realise he really should have cleaned up before Blaine got hear. Now he came to think about it he could feel the dried blood on his face, and he'd been crying for some time. "God," Kurt thought "I can't believe I'm meeting Blaine when I'm in such a state!"

Blaine's original shocked look had mirrored the looks Kurt had got while running down the school corridor, but unlike them Blaine quickly made an effort to change his expression.

"Oh my God! Kurt! You poor thing! Come on lets head off to my place; you can get all cleaned up and lose the morbid look."

Blaine's weak attempt at a joke did put a smile of Kurt's face but it was mostly just Blaine being there. Blaine was always there for Kurt; that was what they were like then.

Blaine helped Kurt to the car and when they got to Blaine's house he lent Kurt a pair of clean track suit bottoms, a baggy t-shirt and a hoodie. For once Kurt didn't complain about the lack of "Imaginative Fashion" in Blaine's wardrobe.

After Kurt had had a shower, and sorted out his hair he did feel a little better. Though the bruises were starting to show and Kurt could tell he was going to have lumps and marks everywhere. He could already see a fait mark that stretched right across his face "Well that was going to be a hard one to explain to his dad".

Kurt sat next to Blaine on Blaine's bed. Blaine felt warm, Blaine was Kurt's safe haven nobody could touch him as long as he had Blaine. Blaine would make the bad things go away.

Kurt leaned so far into Blaine he was practically on the smaller boy's lap. Blaine rubbed circles into Kurt's back.

"Do you want to tell me about it?"

Kurt hiccupped and took a deep breath: "I hate to rely on you like this." To which Blaine shook his head but made no attempt to speak. Kurt continued: "They, the jocks at my school, well they weren't exactly happy about Karofsky's new found tolerance. Well, I guess they took it out on me."

Blaine sighed and held Kurt tighter. He ran his hand through Kurt's hair.

"I'm sick of this. I want you to be safe, you're so important to me. In fact… I've been thinking about for some time. I know you need to be safe, but Dalton clearly didn't make you happy… so… I was thinking about the possibly of… me transferring… to be with you."

"Blaine? Are you serious? I want to be safe but I can't put you at risk like that! You would be attacked too! No, Blaine, no you're safe at Dalton. And I'm holding out, this is just a one off."

"But this isn't a one off! Don't pretend you think it'll get better because you know as well as I do that it won't and it never will. But with two of us we're less of a minority. I can protect you. Anyway, I'd already have friends there; I think I would like the change of scene." Blaine gave Kurt an encouraging smile and Kurt relented. Whether it was Blaine's reassurance or the vision that now clouded his mind (Kurt and Blaine walking arm in arm down the corridors of McKinley), it just seemed so blissful, Kurt couldn't help but give in.

"You know I love you, right?" Kurt gave Blaine a shy smile.

"I love you too, Kurt."

Kurt curled back into Blaine's chest. Truly Blaine was Kurt's safe place. Blaine would always be there no matter what happened. Kurt sighed; contented.

Kurt's eyes slowly opened. Everything was in a blur. He head felt terrible, and he knew it must be bleeding both at the back and front of his head. But the worst thing wasn't where he was or what had just happened. The worst thing was that all he could think about was a time back in high school. Kurt wanted Blaine, right now, he just wanted to be held and told everything would be ok.

Kurt could feel his eyes dragging shut again. Kurt fought with his heavy lids and slowly lifted his head. Kurt searched through his bag, half blind, desperately searching for his phone. He grabbed it and pulled it closer, so he could navigate himself to the right contact. Kurt had his finger over the "call" button when he stopped himself.

It just seemed a little forward. I mean they'd only met properly for years a couple of hours ago. Kurt ran his mind over the other people he could call. An ambulance? No, that would mean the director finding out about his head injury and then he'd lose his part! He couldn't do that he needed this part. Mercedes? As comforting as that would be, he couldn't quite see how it would help in any practical means and besides Mercedes would have gone back to bed by now, it wasn't right to wake her up a second time that time. Could he walk back to the hotel? Kurt tried to get into a full seating position, but he immediately felt dizzy and his vision blurred even more than it already was. Anyway chances are the hotel security would throw him out in this state.

Kurt sighed; he really didn't have much of a choice. Besides Blaine had said "never be afraid that I am too busy or asleep or anything. I want you to always call me when anything like this happens" even if it had been many years ago.

Kurt focussed hard on his phone to make sure he pushed the right button as all the buttons seemed to have merged into one.

Blaine sounded groggy when he answered but he seemed pleased that Kurt had called.

"Hey, Kurt, why are you calling so late it's one o'clock in the morning."

"It is?" Kurt was surprised; he hadn't expected it to have been that late.

"Yeah it is. What's wrong are you ok?"

"Blaine remember when I got beat up at school and I went back to your house. It was the day you decided to transfer. Blaine, do you remember saying that you… you always wanted me to call you if ever I got into any trouble. Do you remember Blaine?" Kurt's voice sounded very off, almost as though he was drunk. Did Kurt drink now? Blaine thought. Kurt's voice was also sounding almost desperate as if it was the most important that Blaine remembered that day back in high school when Blaine had picked him up after he got beaten up.

"Yeah, Kurt, I remember. Now what is wrong? You sound kind of weird."

"He was just there, Blaine, right there in front of me. He told me to stay away from you, and then it all went strange and I was back at high school again. My head hurts." Kurt was trying to keep his speech normal but he babbled slightly as his head was still pretty clouded.

"Where are you? I'll come pick you up." If Blaine had sounded worried before he sounded positively frantic now.

"I'm just down the road from the restaurant. I'm near a flower bed. I… I'm not sure where exactly, everything's really blurry."

"I'm on my way; I'll be there in a few minutes, just stay where you are. Do you want me to stay on the line?"

"Is this where I'm supposed to say I think I need a moment to think things through? That's what I said in my dream. I don't, but I think I need to lie down, so I'll say bye now."

"Ok, Kurt," Blaine was slightly bemused by Kurt's dream, the funny thing was he knew exactly what Kurt was talking about because he'd had the same one a few nights ago. "Ok, Kurt I'll say goodbye then now. I'll be over soon."

With that the line went dead again and Kurt lay down once more. He couldn't keep his eyes open any longer; he passed out again as soon as they shut.

Kurt was at his locker. He could see Blaine coming down the hall. Blaine smiled and Kurt smiled back. He couldn't believe his luck, not only did he have an amazing boyfriend who loved him, but his boyfriend had risked everything to come to the same school.

Then Kurt felt the hand of one of the jocks on his shoulder.

"That your boyfriend Kurt?" Kurt heard him say, his tone was mocking.

Kurt surprised them all by turning round and facing them: "Yes, that's him. Isn't he gorgeous? He transferred to be with me."

The jocks stared shocked at Kurt. They, stupidly, had never really expected this. Then Blaine arrived.

"Hey Kurt! You look great today!" Then he turned his attention to the surrounding jocks. "Do you mind not trying to hit on my boyfriend when I'm not around? I know he's very gorgeous, but he's taken. So please leave."

The jocks left open-mouthed as the two boys linked arms to head down the corridor to first period. Blaine received high-fives from Puck and Finn on the way and a mixture of grins and winks from the rest of the glee club. Ok, so maybe it was not the best course of action in the long-run but Kurt felt it was time they got one over on the jocks. Besides Blaine would be there for him; everything was going to work out.

Blaine was still safe; Blaine was Kurt's safe haven. Blaine was heaven right in the middle of hell.

"Kurt? Oh my God Kurt you poor thing!"

Kurt's eyes opened for a second time. Just like before everything was really blurry, but this time there was a hand stretched out to him and a friendly face looking down at him.

Kurt gave a small smile. And took the hand but when he came up to his feet he swayed a little before falling back down again only to be caught by Blaine.

"Kurt… Your head, it's bleeding. Are you sure you're ok because I think I'd better take you to the hospital."

Kurt was still leaning on Blaine heavily for support. "No! I can't go to hospital, Blaine, they'll tell my director and I'll be forced to give up my part. I can't give it up Blaine, I'll never be able to go back; I'll be a laughing stock!" Kurt pitch went up a full octave. "Please just help me back to my hotel. I think I should be able to get in if I explain my situation."

"Kurt, I think you need medical attention, and I'm pretty sure you won't be let back in that hotel tonight! You look terrible, no offense."

Normally Kurt would have had a hissy fit if someone had described him as looking terrible but Blaine looked at him kindly so he couldn't take offense and he knew he couldn't have looked great at that moment in time.

"I'm not going to hospital, Blaine, so you can either think of another solution or leave me." Kurt gave Blaine his best "bitch please" look, though it can't have come out right because Blaine was clearly trying hard not to laugh.

"God, Kurt I never thought I'd say it but I missed your bitchy side! I tell you what; you can come over and sleep at my apartment. I cleaned it only this morning and you can clean yourself up. Nobody else in your cast needs to know. Ok?"

Kurt bit his lip. He wasn't sure whether crashing out at Blaine's would be the best of ideas besides it could hardly be convenient for Blaine but he really didn't have another option.

"I don't want to be any trouble," Kurt said in a small voice.

"It's really no bother and I guess I do remember promising I would always be here for you. I don't break me promises."

"You promised you'd never hurt me." Kurt said before he could stop himself. He saw pain in Blaine's face.

"Yeah… I guess I did… I suppose its all the more reason not to break another promise."

Kurt smiled slightly up at him. "Thanks Blaine. I wouldn't have called but I didn't know who else to turn to."

"No, Kurt." Blaine said, "I'm glad you called, never be afraid that I am too busy or asleep or anything. I want you to always call me when anything like this happens. I want to be there for you, Kurt."

Kurt recognised the same words as what was said to him in his dream. Kurt swayed slightly before falling back into his dream word.

Blaine felt Kurt suddenly put a lot more weight on him. He struggled to keep Kurt upright without jostling him. Kurt had passed out. Blaine stood there on the side walk unsure of what to do. He was pretty sure Kurt had agreed to going to his flat. But he wasn't totally sure that he would wake up in the morning to massive hissy fit.

But Blaine had little choice. He lifted Kurt into his arms and began to carry the sleeping boy back to his place. He couldn't help but notice how beautiful Kurt was, even with a bloody face and a fast-appearing bruise he looked so peaceful, so angelic.