Blaine was so glad to get out of the hospital. He was so sick of the place because he had spent too much time there over the past several years. First was the “Sadie Hawkins incident,” as he had taken to calling it. Then there was “Slushie-gate.” And there were even a few times he hadn’t even told Kurt about. They were overnight stays or Emergency room visits due to his father’s temper. His mother always had a convenient excuse for her son’s injuries, and sadly the doctors never questioned it.

There was an even bigger reason Blaine wanted to get out of there, and the sooner he was gone the better. He was terrified that his father was going to come and find him in his hospital room. Knowing Anderson, he would act like nothing had ever happened. He also didn’t want Kurt to come face to face with his father. He shuddered picturing the face-off between the two men. “I just need to get away. Right now!” he thought frantically.

Kurt was also glad to get out of the hospital and back home. Lima General was the site of some of the most heartbreaking moments of his life. It’s where he lost his mom, it’s where he almost lost his dad a couple years ago, it’s where one of his friends ended up after almost taking his life, and it’s where his soulmate arrived after having his body and heart broken by the one person he was supposed to depend on. Everything about the place was so depressing.

Burt pushed the wheelchair to the car, so Kurt grabbed Blaine’s hand and held it as he walked beside him. In his other hand he carried the backpack with Blaine’s clothes and his laptop. Blaine carried Maurice the stuffed monkey on his lap. Burt assured Blaine that he would come back and get the flowers later that day. Blaine was grateful that it was a requirement for a discharged patient to be wheeled out of the hospital because walking hurt like a son of a bitch.

“So, Blaine, Dad is being the best Dad in the world and giving me a couple weeks before I need to start work so I can take care of you. Be prepared to be spoiled rotten!” Kurt said, running his thumb over the back of Blaine’s hand. “I’m here to cater to your every whim!”

“Really now?” Blaine asked and side-eyed his boyfriend. “I’ll have to remember that.”

Kurt realized what he had said and blushed as he sputtered, “No, not like that. Blaine! Dad is here! Stop being a dirty monkey!” Burt laughed, but Kurt could tell that his father was a bit uncomfortable about where the conversation was going.

“Did I say anything?” Blaine retorted cheekily. “Maybe I’m not the one with the dirty mind, Kurt.” He lifted Maurice and added, “I’m not the dirty monkey. THIS is the dirty monkey!”

Burt abruptly stopped pushing the wheelchair and put his fingers in his ears while yelling, “La La La La La, I can’t hear you!” He was smiling, so Kurt knew that his father was just teasing him. Burt pulled his fingers out of his ears and added, “I remember when you did that exact same thing to me.”

“The sex talk. Oh god, I still have nightmares about that evening,” Kurt said, rolling his eyes.

“It had to happen, Bud, and you know it!” Burt said and clapped Kurt’s shoulder. “I really would rather not talk about my son’s love life, so let’s get Blaine home and comfortable, okay?” Kurt didn’t say anything, but his face turned a pretty shade of scarlet.

“Thanks again, Burt,” Blaine said and looked back at the older man. “You’ve done so much for me already.”

“Don’t sweat it, sport. You just need to worry about getting better,” Burt said and smiled at his young friend.

“Sport, Dad? Really? What are we, in the 1950s?” Kurt asked and chuckled. He was just happy Blaine was still here. Right now, that’s all that mattered.

They reached the car and Kurt helped Blaine get in the car and buckled in. After making sure Blaine was comfortable in the back seat, he started taking the wheelchair back to the hospital lobby.

Burt grabbed Kurt’s arm and murmured so Blaine couldn’t hear, “I’ll get it. You wait in the car. Besides, I wanted to talk to hospital security about Blaine’s dad. I’ll just be a few minutes.”

“Thanks, Dad,” Kurt responded with a small smile. After Burt grabbed the wheelchair and started quickly walking to the hospital entrance, Kurt moved over to the passenger side back door and let himself in. “Dad will be right back. He’s just returning the wheelchair.” He took Blaine’s hand. “Are you okay, sweetie? You look exhausted.”

“It’s just the medication making me sleepy,” Blaine said, looking in his boyfriend’s eyes. He could tell that Kurt was worried. “I’m sorry for that outburst back there in the hospital room. Lots of emotions flying around lately, you know.”

“Hey, don’t apologize. Feeling scared is completely valid. Your life has been turned upside down. Believe me. I know EXACTLY what you’re going through right now. Except, you know…” Kurt said, trailing off at the end of the sentence because he didn’t want to bring up the subject of Blaine’s father again.

“Yeah,” Blaine said quietly, looking down at their entwined hands. “When we get home, can we cuddle? I think I really need that more than anything else right now.”

“Are you able to cuddle with your broken rib?” Kurt asked. He didn’t want to aggravate his boyfriend’s injuries, but having a good cuddle is exactly what he wanted.

“As long as I’m careful, sure,” Blaine responded. “I want to talk about… things.”

“Uh oh, that sounds ominous,” Kurt teased. At Blaine’s wide eyes, he added, “I’m joking! We definitely need to talk about everything that’s happened. Are you sure you want to talk right away, though? You look like you could fall asleep right now!”

“Kurt, I want to tell you everything. About my life. And I want to tell you soon. After what happened this week, I just don’t want to keep it from you anymore,” Blaine said with determination.

“Whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here,” Kurt said, starting to worry about what his boyfriend might say. Blaine had made mention about some issues before he left Kurt’s house that morning but refused to expand on it.

Blaine was about to say something, but he was interrupted by Burt opening the driver’s side door. He got in and turned around to face the boys as he teased, “So I’m the chauffeur now! I see how it is!”

Kurt gave a mischievous expression and shrugged. “I can move up front if you’re lonely, Dad,” he quipped.

“Don’t be a smart-ass,” Burt chuckled. “Let’s get you both home before Carole sends out a search party. I think two this week is enough.”

“Look at who’s the smart-ass!” Kurt joked. It was nice to be able to talk to his father like an adult. It wasn’t backtalk at all. It was just some good old fashioned ribbing.

Blaine put his head back and closed his eyes. Yes, the medication was killing the pain, but it was making him so damn sleepy. “Maybe a little mini-nap on the way back to Kurt’s house is what I need,” he thought to himself. “Babe, wake me up when we get to your house, okay?” he asked Kurt. “I can barely keep my eyes open!”

“Of course, love,” Kurt said gently, leaning over and giving Blaine a kiss on the forehead.

The rest of the drive home was quiet because neither Burt nor Kurt wanted to disrupt Blaine’s rest. Burt looked in the rear view mirror and tried to get Kurt’s attention by waving. Kurt was playing with his phone and saw his father in his peripheral vision. He looked up and noticed Burt giving a worried look. Kurt knew what his father was thinking and just nodded. They were both worried for Blaine.

“We need to have a family meeting later,” Burt whispered. Kurt could read his lips in the mirror and nodded again, then went back to his phone. Quinn had started sending him party ideas, and they were corresponding and planning through a flurry of texts.

Several minutes later they pulled into the Hudson-Hummel driveway. Amazingly, Blaine had fallen asleep completely. Kurt didn’t have the heart to wake him, but he needed to get his boyfriend into the house somehow. The summer heat was starting to get oppressive, and Blaine couldn’t stay in the car. He gently unlatched Blaine’s seatbelt and tried to lift him. “Nope, not gonna happen,” Kurt thought to himself. “I really need to work on my upper body strength. Maybe Sam can give me a few pointers, especially if Finn is leaving town.”

Kurt stood quickly, almost whacking his head on the car door frame. Cursing silently, he ran up to his father, who was about to enter the house, “Dad, can you get Finn for me? Blaine is out cold and I don’t want to wake him.” He looked back to the car. “Poor guy.”

“Yeah, sure,” Burt said and smiled, calling for Finn.

Finn came to the door. It looked like he was exercising because he was breathing heavily, “How’s it hanging, little brother? Dad said you needed me?”

Kurt gave a dirty look and said haughtily, “How it’s hanging is none of your business, Finn Hudson! I need your help. Blaine fell asleep in the car, and I don’t want to wake him up. I tried lifting him to carry him in the house, but I can’t seem to budge him. Can you carry him in for me?”

“No prob, dude. He in the backseat?” Finn asked and pointed to Burt’s car.

“Yup. Just be careful with his broken rib and all,” Kurt cautioned. He knew that Finn could be a bit clumsy, but he couldn’t think of any option other than leaving him in the car or waking him up.

Finn nodded and walked to the car. “Why are you breathing heavily?” Kurt asked curiously. “Did I interrupt a workout or something?”

“Oh, Mom wanted me to move some crap around. You know, boxes and stuff. Wanna help me? It would be a good workout for you!” Finn asked. “We need to get your upper body strength increased.”

Kurt looked at Finn appraisingly. He didn’t have a crush on the tall man anymore, of course, but he did appreciate that his brother was the epitome of a jock. Finn might look soft in the middle, but he was a pretty strong dude.

“Maybe later,” Kurt said and opened the back door. Blaine was still fast asleep, his head turned to the side. “Just be careful,” he whispered. “We don’t need him back in the hospital. I love you with all my heart, Finn, but you’re a klutz.”

“Kurt, have a little faith in your big brother, will you?” Finn admonished. “You grab those bags in the backseat. I have Blaine.” He ducked into the car and gently lifted the sleeping man into his arms. Kurt had to stifle a laugh, because it was a pretty ridiculous image.

“Is Rachel here yet?” Kurt asked quietly. He was so looking forward to a movie night because it seemed so normal, and this week had been anything but normal. He could taste the popcorn already. He grabbed the two bags and the stuffed monkey and joined his brother, who was walking very slowly with Blaine in his arms.

“Nope. Just Mom, Sam and me. Rach said she’ll be here soon,” Finn whispered. “Sorry, dude, I really need to concentrate so I don’t wipe out. We can talk in the house.”

Kurt chuckled and nodded. At least Finn was being very careful. He walked beside his brother, making sure to let him know when there was uneven ground on the front walk. All of a sudden Blaine gave a groan and woke up.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Finn said brightly.

“Um… hello?” Blaine asked, confused. He tried looking down and added, “And exactly why are you carrying me?”

“Oh, you got all drugged up, and we flew to Vegas and got married. I’m just carrying you over the threshold!” Finn teased.

“What? How long was I out? Where’s Kurt?” Blaine demanded frantically, trying to look around. Kurt was playing along with the prank, so he hid outside of Blaine’s circle of vision.

“In the house planning the reception. He gives his blessing,” Finn deadpanned. At Blaine’s panicked look he snorted, “Oh my god, you’re so gullible, Blaine! I’m just messing with you.”

Kurt started laughing and stepped into Blaine’s view. “You just fell asleep in the car, and I didn’t want to wake you up. I asked Finn to carry you in for me,” he explained as he smacked his brother on the arm. “Stop teasing my sweetie, Finn!”

“Hey! I don’t know if you notice this or not, but I’m carrying your boyfriend! I would suggest that you not hit me. I don’t want to drop him!” Finn exclaimed. “And you aren’t Mr. Innocence, either! I saw you snickering out of sight.”

“Or you could, I don’t know, PUT ME DOWN? I can walk, you know,” Blaine said, wrapping his arms around Finn’s neck. “Although I’ve always wanted a big strapping man to carry me into his house,” he added, pretending to flirt with his friend.

“Hey!” Kurt and Finn cried in unison. Kurt knew that Blaine was teasing, but he was going to be the only one who would be carrying his man over the threshold.

“Seriously, Finn, you can put me down. I’m not an invalid,” Blaine assured his tall friend. “It might take a few hours to get anywhere, but I can get around.” Finn shrugged and gently put Blaine down, making sure he was standing steady. Kurt put his arm through Blaine’s, helping him into the house.

Carole came into the hall and exclaimed, “Here are my boys!” She walked up to Kurt and Blaine and brought them both in for a gentle hug. “Kurt, can you take Blaine straight into the family room? I have the hideaway bed all set up for him. I’ll bring food in for you shortly.” She put her hand on the side of Blaine’s face. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Blaine. I’ve been beside myself since last night.”

“Thanks, Carole. I’ll be okay, really,” Blaine said sincerely. “Thanks for letting me stay here.”

“You’re family, dear, and you know the Hudson-Hummels take care of our family,” Carole responded. She got tears in her eyes. “You two go on. I’ll join you soon.”

“I’m going back to moving stuff around with Sam. Sure you don’t want to help, Kurt?” Finn asked, putting his arm around his brother’s shoulders.

“Ewww, get your sweaty-ass self away from me!” Kurt shrieked and pulled away. “Sorry Finn, involuntary reaction. You go ahead. I want to make sure Blaine is comfortable.”

“Let me know if you change your mind,” Finn said and shrugged. “It would really help those toothpick arms of yours, you know.” Kurt just grimaced and gave the finger. “Love you, too,” Finn said as he left the room.

They went into the family room and Kurt dropped the bags and stuffed animal by the couch. He eased Blaine onto the hideaway bed and instructed him to get under the covers.

“How many times do I have to say I’m fine, babe? Really,” Blaine said. “You don’t need to baby me.”

“I said I was going to take care of you and that’s exactly what I’m doing,” Kurt scolded and passed the stuffed animal to Blaine. “Here, cuddle with Maurice. I’ll be right back. I’m going to help Mom with the food.”

“Mind if I use your laptop?” Blaine asked. “I think I left mine in my car with the rest of my stuff. Everything is kinda hazy.”

“Of course!” Kurt said and took his laptop out of his satchel and passed it to his boyfriend. “Knock yourself out.” His eyes widened. “Oh my god, that was totally the wrong thing to say.”

Blaine looked up from the laptop and gave a smile as he urged, “Just go get food, Kurt.”

Kurt leaned over and gently kissed Blaine, saying, “Relax! You’re safe here. I love you so much.”

“Love you, too. Now scoot!” Blaine said, playfully smacking Kurt’s butt.

Kurt gave a small squeal and looked back at Blaine who was giving him a huge grin. He made his way to the kitchen where Carole looked like she was cooking for a small army. “Hey, Mom. Need any help? Are we having company?” he asked and kissed Carole on the cheek.

“You know I like to cook when I’m stressed, Kurt. Don’t worry, I have five men in the house and Rachel will be joining us soon. I think we’ll all find room for it,” Carole assured. “So how are you? We haven’t really talked since Blaine was taken to the hospital.”

“I could be better, but I could be a hell of a lot worse,” Kurt responded, running his hand through his short hair. “I don’t know. I think maybe the shock of everything is starting to wear off. Blaine had a mini-breakdown in the hospital room before we left, and I don’t know what to do for him.”

“Just be there for him like he was there for you this week,” Carole advised. “That’s all you really can do.”

“I guess. I just can’t imagine Dad beating me like that. I think I’m still in denial about it happening to Blaine,” Kurt said, shaking his head.

“Kurt, it happens more than you think. You are very blessed to have such a loving family. There are some people who have families that don’t want what’s best for their kids, and they use pretty heavy handed ways to force their will. It’s very sad but a reality,” Carole explained. “Usually, it happens to the ones you least expect.”

“God, this sucks,” Kurt muttered and sat at the kitchen table. “How did I go from being a high school student to an adult in less than a week? I thought there was a transition or something!”

Carole sat at the table and took Kurt’s hand. It was very reminiscent of the conversation she’d had with Blaine a few days before. “You were just the victim of some unfortunate circumstances, Kurt. You were forced to grow up quickly. I assure you this isn’t the norm,” she explained. “Just relax for now. Burt told me he’s giving you a couple weeks off work. Just make sure to enjoy it and spend some time with Blaine.”

“I’m planning on it. Blaine and I have some major decisions to make. I just wish I knew how to make it all okay. I want to start this entire week over,” Kurt groaned and put his head on his arms.

“Kurt, I’m going to give you a piece of advice. This might be the most important piece of advice that you’ll ever hear. Things might look bleak now, and it may never look like it’ll get better. But, honey, it will. What’s more, you’re going to look back on this entire week and realize you learned some important life lessons.”

“But everything seems so hopeless!” Kurt whined. “I mean, I keep telling Blaine it’s going to be fine, but I’m lying through my teeth. How am I going to take care of him when I can barely take care of myself?”

“I’m saying all this from personal experience, dear, so you need to trust me,” Carole responded. “You’re going to get through this and be so much stronger. I know it’s cliché, but things happen for a reason. Sometimes they aren’t apparent right away, but they will become clear in time. You just need to have some patience.”

“Which is definitely in short supply lately,” Kurt interrupted.

“Anyhow, this is starting to hit After School Special levels of preachiness, so let’s just leave it there,” Carole said and patted Kurt’s hand. “If you need to talk, you know where I live.” She gave an awkward giggle at her own joke.

“Thanks, Mom. It did help,” Kurt responded. “So are you absolutely sure you don’t need help?”

“Nah, I’ll bring in some snacks in a few. I figured we would wait for Rachel to arrive before we eat,” Carole said and passed Kurt a couple cans of soda.

“Ok, if you insist,” Kurt said and left the kitchen, returning to the living room. There he was shocked to find Blaine looking at the laptop, practically sobbing. Tears were streaming down his face. Kurt quickly put the cans of soda on the table and rushed to his boyfriend’s side. “Blaine! What’s wrong? Does it hurt? Do you need some painkillers? Talk to me, sweetie!” he begged as he passed Blaine a box of tissues.

“No, no, it’s not that, Kurt. I’m just really happy,” Blaine said as he accepted the box. “Take a look, babe.” He passed the laptop to Kurt as he wiped his eyes and blew his nose. Kurt took back his laptop and noticed that Blaine had logged on to Facebook. Blaine’s wall was crammed with well wishes from McKinley students past and present. Not one message had a negative connotation. There were also several private messages from members of New Directions. Even Mercedes sent a message, apologizing for her absence the night before.

“That’s amazing!” Kurt exclaimed and passed the computer back to Blaine. “See? You aren’t alone in all this. There are so many who love you, and Blaine, I love you most of all.” He smiled and pushed a stray curl from his boyfriend’s forehead.

“I know, and I love you, too,” Blaine sniffled as he grabbed another tissue. “I don’t know, when I was in that car, I just felt so alone. The feeling of hopelessness was overwhelming!”

“Oh, Blaine…” Kurt started.

“Don’t get me wrong. I do trust you, Kurt. You believe me, right?” Kurt nodded. “But in that moment I felt lost, because the person who I really should’ve trusted did this to me. Am I making any sense?” Blaine asked and looked at Kurt with expectation.

“Of course! Your family is the one thing that you should have complete trust in. As fabulous as we are, boyfriends and friends can come and go. Family is that one constant,” Kurt answered.

“Except mine,” Blaine murmured. “I don’t know. I’m just ready to give up.” He then looked at his hands because he wasn’t sure what to say.

“Blaine, look at me!” Kurt commanded, his voice stern. Blaine didn’t respond, so he softened his tone and asked, “Please?” Blaine looked up, his eyes screened with tears. Kurt wanted to yell at him, to tell him that he needed to hold on, that all this pain and heartache would be eventually go away.

He shifted on the bed until he was sitting beside Blaine and took the laptop, putting it on the table beside him. He then gently put his arm around his heartbroken boyfriend and pulled Blaine to his chest, being careful not to strain the injured man’s torso. Blaine let out a sob and wrapped his arms around Kurt, holding as tight as his injuries would allow.

Kurt still felt lost about how to make Blaine feel better, so he did what he normally would when he wasn’t sure how to solve an insurmountable problem. He sang while stroking Blaine’s curly hair:

“Don't give up.
It's just the weight of the world.
When your heart's heavy I will lift it for you.
Don't give up.
Because you want to be heard.
If silence keeps you I will break it for you.”

“Everybody wants to be understood.
Well I can hear you.
Everybody wants to be loved.
Don't give up because you are loved.”

Blaine looked up at Kurt, his eyes shiny with tears. Kurt took his thumb and wiped the tears from Blaine’s cheeks, then gave each cheek a gentle kiss. Then he continued:

“Don't give up.
It's just the hurt that you hide.
When you're lost inside I will be there to find you.
Don't give up.
Because you want to burn bright.
If darkness blinds you I will shine to guide you.”

“Everybody wants to be understood.
Well I can hear you.
Everybody wants to be loved.
Don't give up because you are loved.”

“Thank you, babe,” Blaine said, trying to give a smile. He hugged Kurt again and asked, “How is it possible?” He didn’t let go, so Kurt continued to embrace him.

“How is what possible?” Kurt responded, stroking Blaine’s back.

“Staying strong through all of this?” Blaine asked. “If it were me in the same situation, I’d be a mess!”

“You didn’t see me last night,” Kurt said and let out a low whistle. “I sorta went all nuclear on Finn last night. I punched him and everything. I think with all that happened this week, my stress finally came to a head and I exploded.”

“What?” Blaine asked and pulled away, looking at Kurt. “Are you okay? Is Finn okay?”

“We’re good. I just had to unload, and he was the closest victim. He let me vent, and afterwards we hugged it out. I do love that big lug,” Kurt lamented sadly. “I’m sure gonna miss him.”

“Yeah, me too. But it’s only for a year, right?” Blaine reminded Kurt. “Aren’t we all getting a place together in New York?”

“Who knows anymore, Blaine. I’m still not sure what I’m doing with all that. Right now, I’m taking it one week at a time. Otherwise, I might go insane. Well, more insane than I already am,” Kurt joked.

“Let’s go crazy together, then,” Blaine said, trying to make another joke. Instead, it just sounded pathetic.

They sat on the bed, just holding each other for a few minutes and listening to the bustle of activity in the house. Kurt had his chin resting on the top of Blaine’s head.

“Hey, Blaine?” Kurt asked.

“Yes, babe?” Blaine responded, sounding a bit sleepy.

“I have a confession to make. I did something last night that I never thought I would ever do again,” Kurt started to say.

“Did you kiss a girl? It was Brittany, wasn’t it?” Blaine interrupted. “You still carry a torch for her, don’t you?” He poked Kurt in the side, showing his boyfriend that he was teasing.

“Stop being a dork!” Kurt admonished with a chuckle. “I’ve already had Rachel accuse me of still carrying a torch for Finn this week. Don’t you start!”

Blaine smiled and leaned up to give Kurt a gentle peck on the lips. He hissed and held his side because he had overstretched himself.

“Just relax, Blaine.  Do you need your meds?” Kurt asked.

“No, I’m okay. I think I just moved the wrong way,” Blaine said. “So what’s this thing you did last night? I promise not to tease you anymore.”

“I’m still trying to work things out, and I’m still struggling to believe, but I prayed last night. In an actual chapel,” Kurt murmured. Blaine looked at his boyfriend with wide eyes. “When you were unconscious I was so scared, and I guess I just…”

“Kurt, there’s no need to explain,” Blaine said, putting his finger to Kurt’s lips. “Praying is exactly what I do when I’m feeling scared or lonely.” Kurt was about to say something but Blaine interrupted, “And I don’t expect you to come to church with me on Sunday. We’ve already had this conversation. You’re more than welcome, but I’m not making you go.”

“Thanks, Blaine,” Kurt said simply.

“I will say this, though, before I drop the subject. I’m touched that you prayed for me,” Blaine explained. “If you ever have any questions about, you know, God stuff, you know you can talk to me, right?” Kurt nodded as if to say he understood and appreciated that Blaine wasn’t pushing the subject.

“Okay, so how much time do we have? I want to get this over with,” Blaine asked. “Rehashing my past just plain sucks.”

“Mom said we’re waiting for Rachel before we eat. So we have a little bit of time, at least,” Kurt answered.

“Maybe we can go outside or something? This isn’t something I want to talk about in the middle of the family room,” Blaine said.

Kurt was both curious and nervous. What was it about Blaine’s life that he didn’t want anyone to know about? He was worried as he thought that his abuse situation was bad enough. What other secrets was he hiding?

“Are you sure you can move around? I don’t want you to injure yourself further,” Kurt inquired. “We can go hang in the backyard, or we can go up to my room if you can take the stairs.”

“Climbing the stairs might be a little too ambitious right now. Let’s go to the porch,” Blaine suggested. “I promise, Kurt, what I want to tell you isn’t that bad. Well, not that bad anymore. I don’t want to share this with anyone but you for now. I’m not ready for people to know about my past.”

Kurt jumped off the bed and helped Blaine get out with great effort. “It’s hard moving someone when you’re afraid of hurting them!” he thought to himself.

“Babe, I’m really okay. I don’t need your help. It’s my ribs that are killing me. I can walk as long as I take it slow,” Blaine assured.

“Just humor me, dear,” Kurt said distractedly, draping Blaine’s arm around his shoulder.

“Dear? Are we a married couple, now?” Blaine asked with a giggle as he slowly stood up.

“Okay, darling! Is that better?” Kurt asked sarcastically.

“No need to get snippy, dear,” Blaine snarked. They looked at each other and started laughing at the absurdity of their argument.

They slowly made their way to the kitchen and back door. It was the easiest way to get to the porch without having to navigate stairs.

Carole saw them entering the kitchen and put down the casserole dish she was carrying. “What are you doing up, Blaine? You should be resting. Did you need anything?” she asked.

“I just wanted to go outside and get some fresh air,” Blaine explained. “I really hate hospitals. They’re so stuffy! Kurt is going to help me out. I promise I won’t go very far.”

“As long as you’re sure you can handle it,” Carole said uncertainly and Blaine nodded. “I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me, then. Just call.”

The two men shuffled out the back door and Kurt helped Blaine sit in the chair. Blaine winced and held his side. “Piece of advice, babe. Never get a broken rib. It feels like I’m getting stabbed every time I breathe,” he said. “Maybe I should have taken a painkiller.”

“This was a bad idea,” Kurt said as he sat in the chair beside him. “Oh well, we’re here now, aren’t we?” He sat forward and looked at Blaine. “Okay, so what do you want to talk about?”

“Well, there’s not a lot to say. It’s just important,” Blaine began. “So when I was younger? I wasn’t a very nice kid.”

“What do you mean?” Kurt asked.

“I was a nasty little shit. I was firmly in the closet, and I was pretty pissed off most of the time,” Blaine responded. “I made Sebastian look like a precious angel sent from the fluffy clouds of heaven above. I was terrible to my classmates and my teachers. I won’t get into the events leading up to it, but I eventually decided to come out, and I thought things were going to be better. I found friends like me, and I discovered my love of performing. Well, you know what happened next.”

“The Sadie Hawkins dance?” Kurt asked.

“The Sadie Hawkins dance,” Blaine repeated. “There’s no way in hell I’m going to relive that horror, but I was beat up worse than I am now. I had a few more broken bones and even a concussion. I was held back a year because I missed so much school. That’s why I’m a senior now and not a graduate. If it wasn’t for those assholes, Kurt, you and I would have graduated and moved to New York together. Anyhow, that’s neither here nor there and really doesn’t figure into this.”

“Why are you telling me this?” Kurt asked, confused. “I mean, you know you can tell me anything, but why now?”

“I told you I was going to tell you about my past, and you are aware of most of it. I’m just completing the picture, so to speak,” Blaine responded.

“Makes sense, I guess,” Kurt said. “So, go on, please.”

“So when all that crap happened, something inside me broke. I was an emotional hot mess. There was only one thing that dulled the pain,” Blaine continued. “The crowd that I hung around with were pretty rough, but they basically abandoned me when I came out of the closet. However, out of those tenuous friendships I made some unsavory contacts. They provided me with as much hard liquor as I could get. At 14 damn years old. Pretty pathetic, huh?”

“Um… wow,” Kurt said and took Blaine’s hands. “That’s… surprising.” He was struggling to find the proper words to react. This was another in a series of bigger and bigger bombshells.

“So as you know, my parents transferred me to Dalton. I would have to say that transfer was one of the only things they did for me that was good,” Blaine said. “It was really rough at first, especially since I spent the first year in dorm. That meant a LOT of freedom. I would get drunk every weekend and sometimes even during the week while classes were in session. I also remained quite angry at the world. Remember that conversation we had about having rage issues? That part of my life is where it originated.”

“You really DO understand, then,” Kurt whispered.

“Yup. More than you know, babe. For the most part, that part of my life is behind me, and I have most of it under control,” Blaine said. “The Warblers were such a good influence on my life, and for that I’ll be eternally grateful. I do have my moments, though, like you saw last year with Sam. I promise, Kurt, I’ll never hurt you. I’ve never taken out my rage on anyone other than the odd shoving match, and I don’t think I ever will.”

“I’m not scared of that, Blaine. Not at all. My heart is breaking for you, though,” Kurt said with tears in his eyes. “You’ve been through so much!”

“There’s something you need to know, though,” Blaine said and lifted Kurt’s hand to his lips as he gave a gentle kiss. “Especially if we plan on taking our relationship to the next level. Kurt, I’m an alcoholic.”

“What?” Kurt asked, his eyes widening. “But that’s impossible! I’ve only seen you drinking alcohol twice!”

“Well, I guess the more appropriate term is recovering alcoholic,” Blaine corrected. “Why do you think it’s almost impossible for me to refuse alcohol? I just find it easier to keep it out of my life entirely. When I start drinking, I find it very hard to stop.”

“I’m not sure what to say,” Kurt said and looked down, not wanting to make eye contact with his boyfriend. It wasn’t that he was angry at Blaine. It was just a lot to process.

“Babe, are you mad at me? I don’t think I could bear it if you were mad at me,” Blaine said and squeezed Kurt’s hands.

“No! Not at all!” Kurt exclaimed, getting off the chair and kneeling in front of his boyfriend. He put his hands on Blaine’s face. “Thank you so much for telling me this part of your life. We promised no secrets, right?”

“Right,” Blaine said and gave a small smile.

“Right! And remember we’re a team, come what may,” Kurt said. “That’s our promise to each other. No matter what happens, we’ll get through this. I just need a little time to digest all these new revelations. I think I’ve hit the saturation point of new information.”

“I understand, babe. I just wanted to share this part of me. Maybe now you understand why I acted the way I did the other day. I know these are my issues to deal with, but I’m so glad I have your support. Thank you, Kurt,” Blaine said, tears coming back to his eyes. He was so relieved that Kurt didn’t disown him after revealing this darkest part of himself. “Can we go back inside now? I’m exhausted.”

“Sure,” Kurt agreed. “I could use a good snuggle until Rachel gets here. There must be something decent on TV.”

“Project Runway is on in about 15 minutes,” Blaine suggested.

“I knew you were my soul mate for a reason!” Kurt exclaimed and helped Blaine stand up. They were about to re-enter the house when Kurt stopped, turned to Blaine and gave him a slow kiss.

“What was that for?” Blaine asked, pleasantly surprised.

“Do I need a reason?” Kurt asked with one eyebrows raised.

“No, but can you do that again?” Blaine asked. Kurt chuckled and gave him another kiss.

“Blainers!” a voice shrieked. “You’re supposed to be in bed. Kurt, I’m surprised at you for letting him walk around!”

“Hi, Rachel,” the two men said in monotone and rolled their eyes at each other.

“You both get your butts in this house right now!” Rachel demanded.

“What did I say about being bossy, Rachel!” Kurt warned as he put his hand on his hip.

“Sorry, sorry! I’m backing off,” Rachel corrected herself. “Would you two gentlemen be so kind as to return to the house? We’re about to dine and we would simply despair without your presence!” She put the back of her hand to her forehead dramatically.

“No need to be a smartass, Rach,” Kurt said drily as he took Blaine’s arm to help him inside.

“Seems I can’t win no matter what I say,” Rachel grumbled.

“What is that, darling?” Kurt asked.

“Nothing!” Rachel said, trying to cover up her griping. “Let’s just go eat.”

“Exactly,” Kurt said, winking at Blaine. Sometimes it was so fun torturing Rachel. Who needed television when he had his best friend?

Kurt was quiet as they entered the house. There were so many decisions to be made, so many arrangements to… well… arrange, and so much to think about. How was it that in the span of a week, his life had switched from relatively normal – or at least relatively normal for a gay man in Middle America – to this utter soap opera? The events of this past week made the dramas in New Directions seem like a children’s story! “Well, right now all I want to do is have a good meal with the people I love, then have a cuddle fest with Blaine,” he thought to himself. “Although I’m sure Rachel will horn in somehow. The rest we can figure out later. At least I hope we can.”