Blaine

Blaine was probably half an hour away from Lima when the Bluetooth connection on the stereo alerted a call from Finn.

"Call from Finn Hudson," said the mechanical voice.

"Accept," said Blaine clearly.

"Hello?" Finn's voice ricocheted throughout the Jeep.

"Finn? Is everything alright? Did you find Kurt? Is he okay? Did you bring him home?"

"Yeah, yeah, he's right here. He's safe at home. He just wanted me to call you. You're on speaker."

Blaine's heart sunk. His poor, poor Kurt was so fragile and hurt right now and he had no idea what to do and he was trying really hard to keep it together for him.

"He's sitting next to you Finn?"

"Yeah, he can hear you right now." Blaine couldn't see Kurt right now but he could just imagine the dip in his posture as he visibly relaxed when Blaine answered the phone. Kurt had told him once how crazy an effect Blaine's voice had on him. "It makes me feel safe and loved no matter what you say. As long as you say hello, I'm okay."

"Hi baby, I'll be there soon okay. Twenty minutes if I speed. Why don't you have a shower and Finn will make you some tea or something and by the time you're finished I'll be there."

"Okay." Blaine's heart sunk a little more at his boyfriend's broken voice.

"See you soon man," said Finn before he ended the call.

"FUCK!" Blaine slammed his hands on the steering wheel in anger. Hasn't his boyfriend been through enough?

Traffic decided to be on Blaine's good side and he made it to the Hummel-Hudson house in his promised 20 minutes. He breathed a sigh of relief at the lack of Burt and Carole's vehicles in the driveway. Right now, interfering parents would be the worst thing that could happen to Kurt right now. He obviously trusted Blaine and Finn enough to share what had happened to him, but Blaine knew that Kurt was more likely to bottle everything up in the presence of his parents.

Blaine wasn't quite sure why, but Kurt seemed to trust Blaine more than any of his friends, or even his dad. Well, trust wasn't the word. More like…Blaine was an easy confidant. Many times Kurt had expressed his worry about stressing his father out over his bullying. It took Blaine a long time before he could come to accept Kurt's mindset. Blaine was sure that reoccurring heart attacks didn't quite work like that. Yes, stress was a factor in many acute and chronic illnesses, but Kurt was so careful about monitoring his father's workload, diet and exercise routine, that Blaine just didn't understand why Kurt would think that the mention of his ongoing bullying would make his father sick again. In fact, Blaine was convinced that Kurt's father was probably the best person to go to with his problems because of his authority as a parent and the extreme and overwhelming love for his child. Blaine knew Burt well after spending quite a bit of time with him and he knew Burt was definitely the type of parent to take drastic action if his child was in danger. Blaine understood that Kurt was ultimately terrified that he was going to lose his one remaining parent, so he stopped trying to question Kurt's methods and decided to be thankful that Kurt trusted him enough to confide in. Blaine knew that if anything ever got out of control he would immediately go to Burt or at least his own mother about it if he wasn't sure what to do. But, for now it seemed like Kurt was relatively safe. Nothing completely drastic had happened and Blaine knew that Kurt wasn't hiding anything from him. (Blaine, I trust you so much. You're my best friend and my boyfriend. I promise I won't hide anything from you, I promise.)

But now he was wondering if he was too late, if maybe he should have tried to persuade Kurt a little harder, or go to Burt a little earlier. Kurt was physically in one piece, but that didn't mean that whatever happened to him didn't hurt him.

It was a matter of seconds between the time he was in the car and the time he was rushing into the house and up the stairs to his boyfriend's bedroom. Blaine immediately knew that Kurt had listened to his advice and had a shower. As he approached the room, the warm, diffusing scent of vanilla and brown sugar and the scent he couldn't quite name (but could place immediately from Kurt's vast collection of skin care products) wafted into the hallway. He walked into the room to see Finn on Kurt's double bed and Kurt wrapped up in his warmest, chocolate brown throw curled next to him, sipping a mug of tea. Kurt's hair looked damp and fluffy and lay across his forehead. Blaine smiled just the tiniest bit; Kurt's hair reminded him of the first time he had come to visit Kurt. Kurt was distraught because nothing had seemed to go right the second day sporting the cast and he had practically launched himself at Blaine, relieved for his comforting presence.

Blaine's smile was quickly taken away with the overwhelming urge to burst into tears because the look on his boyfriend's face was a mixture of fear and anxiety and sadness and complete and utter exhaustion. Blaine would do anything to put Kurt's gorgeous smile back on his face, the sparkle back into his eye. But he knew it wasn't that easy.

"Hey," he said softly, trying not to startle the brothers, who both seemed lost in their own quiet little worlds.

"Blaine." Blaine had never heard his named called so sad and broken before. Finn just looked over at him, not saying a word. Blaine couldn't find any other word to describe Finn at that moment except for stoic. Not an emotion crossed Finn's face. Blaine figured if someone had to be the strong one between all three of them, it would be him. Blaine placed his bag on the floor and toed off his shoes. He was thankful he managed to change before leaving for the weekend. Blazers and dress shirts weren't optimal for the kind of comfort Blaine knew he would be providing in just a moment as he climbed into the bed next to Kurt and opened his arms wide.

Kurt seemed so much smaller than usual as he curled himself against Blaine's chest. Blaine held onto Kurt more strongly than he ever had. Kurt was shivering through the throw wrapped around him. Blaine pulled his boyfriend as close to his chest as he possibly could. Kurt wrapped his shaking arms around Blaine's torso and tucked his head into the crook of his neck. Kurt was crying again and it was ten times more heartbreaking and made Blaine feel ten times more helpless than it had when Kurt was crying on the phone. Kurt's slight frame was positively wracking with sobs and Blaine was trying so, so hard not to cry in the moment. He tucked his arms underneath the throw and pushed up the thin t-shirt Kurt was wearing so Blaine could rub his hands back and forth against Kurt's warm skin, trying to cement in Kurt's mind that his boyfriend was right here and wasn't going to leave him. Finn had his eyes closed and his expression looked pained.

It must be hard on him to see his brother like this and have no idea what's going on, or how to make it better, thought Blaine. Blaine sighed quietly and focussed on trying to comfort his boyfriend, not saying anything except for the occasional, "I'm here now", "I love you", "I'm right here", "Everything's going to be okay, honey". Blaine was feeling a little lost in the moment. He felt overwhelmingly sad and scared and at the same time so in love with his boyfriend. Perhaps it was because Blaine knew you would have to pull him kicking and screaming if you wanted him to leave Kurt at this moment.

After what seemed like an agonizing amount of time, Kurt's sobbing seemed to have slowed to a stop. His body was finally still and Blaine no longer felt and tears rolling from Kurt's cheeks and onto his neck. While he may have stopped crying, Kurt clung onto Blaine for a little longer and Blaine knew he was just trying to compose himself. Blaine had occasionally found himself in this position, (like when Blaine's father's extremely conservative brothers came over for dinner and spouted comment after comment and slur after slur until Blaine slammed down his cutlery and left the house with a slam of the door, practically speeding to Kurt's house), curled up with his boyfriend and finding comfort with his warmth and breathing in his scent for almost an hour before he deemed himself ready to speak again.

Finally, Kurt took a deep, steadying breath and manoeuvred around until he was sitting next to Blaine, instead of practically sitting in his lap. Kurt's bangs were almost sticking straight up and Blaine would have laughed except for, of course, the severity of the situation. Kurt's eyes were puffy and completely bloodshot. His cheeks were warm and flushed and the look on his face was one that Blaine hoped he'd never have to see ever again.

"I'm sorry," he croaked, looking ashamed.

Blaine scooted closer to him and pressed a cool hand to his warm cheek. "Never apologize for something like this Kurt, never. We're here for you."

Kurt looked over at him gratefully and his lips curled in a sad little half smile. "You'll have to change your shirt," he said quietly, nodding towards the tear-stained shoulder on Blaine's gray t-shirt.

"I'll live," said Blaine, pressing a kiss to Kurt's temple.

"I think I'm ready now," said Kurt, looking down at his lap. Blaine sat a little straighter and grasped one of Kurt's hands tightly into his own. Finn sat up straighter than he was and reached over to place a comforting hand on his should.

"Go ahead, whenever you're ready," Blaine whispered into his ear. Kurt took another deep breath and started to tell his brother and his boyfriend what had happened to him in the locker room.

After Kurt retold the dialogue between him and Karofsky, Blaine asked the question he really didn't want to know the answer to, but at the same time he really needed to know.

"What happened after you confronted him?"

Kurt squeezed Blaine's hand and said, "He kissed me."

"HE WHAT?" yelled both Finn and Blaine at the same time.

"He kissed me," said Kurt again, quietly, shrinking into himself.

"Holy shit…" cursed Finn, under his breath. "I'm going to fucking kill him."

Blaine didn't say anything. He hooked his arms around Kurt because he swore at that moment the one thing that was going to stop him for storming out the house and killing Karofsky with his bare hands was Kurt. He took a deep, steadying breath and tried to stop the sting of, "I'm going to kill him, I'm going to kill him, I'm going to fucking kill him" so he could at least speak somewhat normally.

"What else happened, baby?"

Kurt's eyes welled up once again and Blaine had to stop him because he wouldn't be able to keep such careful control of himself if Kurt was crying again.

"No more crying, Kurt. Please?" Kurt must have noticed the complete and utter sadness in Blaine's eyes because he blinked and nodded before continuing, instead of bursting into sobs once more.

"He said he was going to kill me if I told anyone." Both Blaine and Finn took a sharp inhale of breath. "He sounded so serious when he said it too. Normally I would have just brushed it off or ignored it but it really felt like he meant it and I was so terrified. I'm still terrified. And I know I can't do this by myself anymore. I can't do this anymore," said Kurt, shakily.

"You're not in this alone anymore, okay. Right Finn?"

Finn looked over at Blaine with what could only be described as full on rage in his eyes. He shuffled on the bed to sit right in front of Kurt.

"Kurt, I swear on my life I will never, ever let Karofsky or any of the jocks ever touch you again. Me, Puck, Mike, Sam and Artie will all team up, we'll be your body guards. We'll do whatever it takes."

"Thank you Finn, but to be completely honest with you I can't even imagine stepping foot into that school again right now. Not while Karofsky's still there."

Everyone fell silent after Kurt's confession. Blaine was replaying the idea of Kurt being attacked and practically lip raped over and over in his head. Blaine wanted to feel thankful that Karofsky hadn't done something worse, yet at the same time…Blaine, like Finn, could hardly conceal his completely and utter rage. To calm down and focus, he did was he always did, looked into Kurt's eyes. Kurt turned towards him when he noticed Blaine looking at him and tried his best to smile, just a little. Blaine pressed his forehead to his and whispered "I love you" across his lips. He brushed a thumb softly over Kurt's reddened lips. "I'm so sorry he did this to you, baby. I'll replace his with a thousand of my own kisses, if that's okay with you," he said, lowering his voice hoping that only Kurt's ears could hear. Kurt looked into his eyes lovingly and nodded slightly. Blaine hesitated before pressing the lightest kiss to Kurt's lips. Blaine felt the tension from Kurt's shoulder melting away immediately.

Finn cleared his throat behind them and totally and completely ruined the little moment between them by asking if Kurt planned on telling Burt what had happened.

"I don't know Finn," Kurt said, rubbing his hands over his eyes. "I just can't splurge something like this on him, his heart's too weak. It'd kill him."

Finn sighed in frustration, "Kurt, it's better to tell him now then wait until the situation turns much worse. You think this will hurt him? What happens when you land in the hospital because you refused to get a parent involved? You can't control everything. This isn't a slushie facial, Kurt. This is pretty freaking serious."

"I know. I can't do this on my own though. Will you help me?"

"Of course we will, Kurt," said Blaine, soothingly. He rubbed Kurt's back and he sunk against Blaine's chest.

"I just want to get it over with," he mumbled.

Blaine carded his fingers through Kurt's hair (a pleasure he wasn't normally given), "Soon." Kurt shuffled in closer, his head landing under Blaine's chin. Blaine pressed the side of his face into Kurt's hair and inhaled as he pressed a kiss to the side of Kurt's head.

Blaine would have never thought he'd be at one point wishing for the Hummels to come home early.

Finn

Finn heard the rumbling of the garage door opening before Blaine and Kurt did. The two of them were lost in their own little world. They were pressed close together and Kurt's eyelids were fluttering, trying to stay awake. They both looked so peaceful. Kurt was tucked under Blaine's chin and Kurt's hand was pressed on top of Blaine's heart.

"Dad's home, Kurt."

Kurt shot up from Blaine's chest. "Already?" he asked, panicked. "I don't think I'm ready I can't…"

"Dude, it's okay. I'll go downstairs and talk to Burt first, okay? I'll explain everything and then I'll come get you and yeah. It'll be okay man. Don't worry," said quickly, trying to prevent his stepbrother from crying again.

Kurt just nodded and Blaine mouthed a quick, "Thank you!" behind Kurt's head. Finn got up from the bed and headed downstairs. Burt was standing at the kitchen sink, washing the grime from his hands with the special soap Kurt kept at the sink.

Finn cleared his throat. "Burt?"

"Hey bud, is Blaine upstairs with Kurt?"

"Um…yeah. Listen. Can I talk to you about something?" Finn fidgeted a little on the spot.

"Sure Finn, grab a seat," said Burt as he pointed to the kitchen table. "What did you want to talk about?"

"Kurt," Finn said, bluntly.

"Kurt?" Burt raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay, here's the deal. I need to tell you something really important and Kurt is like freaking out upstairs, so just please let me say everything and can you promise to please just listen to me first and then ask questions?"

Burt's forehead creased in worry, but he didn't say anything. He simply nodded once as to say, "Go ahead, I'm listening."

"There's this guy. His name's Dave Karofsky…"

For fifteen minutes Finn talked without interruption. He told Burt all about the jocks at school and how they would harass Kurt every day. How they called him horrible names in the halls. Finn didn't fail to mention Kurt's biting comebacks, whipping the jocks into verbal submission. He told him about the locker checks and the dumpster dives and the slushie facials. He told him everything except what had happened tonight. Kurt would be on his own for this one, (but not really because Blaine would be with him).

Once Finn had finished explaining to Burt what's been going on, the both of them were silent. Burt appeared to still be breathing, so that was a good thing.

"Alright so…why are you telling me this instead of my son?"

"Something happened today and Kurt pretty…emotional right now. The only reason he's been keeping all of this from you was because he was scared he was going to give you another heart attack. He's hasn't been keeping it to himself, though. He's been telling Blaine everything and Blaine's smart enough to know to come to you if something was really serious. He's been actually trying to convince Kurt to let you know what was going on, but he's been pretty stubborn."

Burt sighed loudly. "So what exactly went on today that suddenly everything needs to be out in the open. Is he okay? Is he hurt?"

"He's fine. I'll…let him explain it to you. It's his story to tell I just…wanted to help him first. He's…a little shaken right now so I told him that I'd explain to you the initial stuff."

"So he needs real help now, is what you're saying."

"Yeah."

"KURT! Can you come down here please?" Burt had a completely unreadable expression on his face. Finn was actually scared. He didn't know if Burt was going to yell and get angry or be something completely opposite.

Finn could hear quiet murmured voices upstairs. Finn figured Blaine was giving Kurt a little pep talk. Kurt and Blaine shuffled down the stairs, Blaine gripping Kurt's hand tightly in his own. Kurt still has the throw wrapped around his shoulders and despite the reassuring presence of his boyfriend, he still looked terrified. Once Burt noticed Blaine practically holding Kurt up, Burt's forehead creased in some sort of emotion Finn couldn't even describe.

"Hey bud. Maybe you and I should have this conversation alone," Burt suggested.

Kurt cleared his throat and spoke softly, "I need Blaine to stay." With the mere suggestion of Blaine leaving, Kurt gripped Blaine's hand even stronger, his knuckles turning white. Blaine attempted to supress a wince at the extra pressure in his hand and Finn smiled a little because the both of them just…they fit.

"Finn." Finn glanced over at Burt, who kind of just tilted his head to the side to indicate that maybe Finn should leave.

Finn nodded in acknowledgement and awkwardly got up from his seat at the table.

"Uh, right…I'm just gonna…" Finn stuck his thumb in the direction of the stairs and went to leave. He squeezed Kurt's shoulder as he walked by him, giving that little push of strength that Kurt needed to sit down and tell Burt everything that had happened to him in the last couple of years.